It looks like the Montreal Impact are about to get their man.
ESPN's Jeff Carlisle reported on Sunday that the Impact have reached an agreement with the Chicago Fire over the rights to Cote d'Ivoire and Chelsea legend Didier Drogba, and that the club are poised to sign the striker.
Drogba had been a target of several MLS teams over the years, but the Fire had the right of first refusal after filing a discovery claim and making a legitimate effort to sign the 37-year-old over the past month. However, Drogba's camp indicated a preference for Montreal. Carlisle reports that "the prospect of playing in the French-speaking city proved more attractive to the former Ivory Coast captain," and that both allocation money and Targeted Allocation Money are involved in the transaction.
Drogba registered 65 goals in 104 appearances in his international career for Les Elephantes, which came to a close after the 2014 World Cup. He also registered 263 goals -- including 164 with Chelsea -- across all competitions in his European club career, which dates back to 1998.
He scored seven goals in 38 appearances, many off the bench, in Chelsea's EPL-winning campaign last season.
Fire manager Frank Yallop has mentioned on previous occasions that the club will be targeting other reinforcements ahead of the close of the MLS secondary transfer window on Aug. 6, and ESPN's Taylor Twellman reported at halftime of the D.C. United vs. Philadelphia Union game that he expects new arrivals within 24 to 48 hours:
