It’s not Sergio Busquets and even less Lionel Messi. But the fact remains that the arrival of Kwadwo Opoku at CF Montreal has sent an extremely positive message to the whole team, which is at the height of the fight for a place in the playoffs with 14 games to go.
Obtained on Wednesday from Los Angeles FC in return for a general allocation amount of $1,650,000 in 2023 and another of $100,000 in 2024, the Ghanaian athlete will be on a mission to energize an attack that is struggling to find the back of the net since the start of the MLS season.
In 20 games, CF has actually scored only 20 goals, which ranks it 12th in the Eastern Conference, tied with Inter Miami. The club has also been shut out in its last 2 outings and with a 3-game series against direct ranking rivals starting Saturday night at Stade Saputo against Atlanta United, something had to be done.
“I am very happy, I am very enthusiastic [de l’ajout de Kwadwo], head coach Hernán Losada told reporters Thursday morning before training for his team. He is a player with a slightly different profile [de ses nouveaux coéquipiers]. He has speed, is able to create one-on-one actions and can be used as a winger or as an attacker.
“He’s going to help us and bring something that we don’t have in the team’s forward group right now. That said, it will be our job (to the group of coaches, editor’s note) to seek the best combination, the best balance for [Kwadwo] and for the team. »
“We welcomed the news that the playoffs are more of a possibility than ever,” said midfielder Bryce Duke, who played alongside Opoku at LAFC a few years ago. A player of his caliber, who won the MLS Cup, can only make us better. We will have more depth and competition for minutes. »
Much like Duke – acquired from Inter Miami along with Ariel Lassiter for Kamal Miller earlier in April – the Montreal organization has long had Opoku in sight. Losada also specified that approaches had been carried out even before his hiring.
Trained at the academy of Godwin Attram and Piet de Visser in Ghana, Opoku then joined LAFC in October 2020, quickly rising to fame by scoring the winning goal in the CONCACAF Champions League quarter-final against Cruz Azul in December of the same year.
He then injured his knee while on loan at the Las Vegas Light in 2021 before returning to Los Angeles, scoring 7 goals in 34 games in 2022. This year, he has 2 goals in 19 games, but was more used as a substitute in the past month.
But no matter what role he will be given, Duke is confident that Opoku will manage to bond with his new teammates. “He’s a really good person that absolutely everyone can get along with, but also off the field,” Duke said.
“I’m convinced he will provide the spark we need. He’s got a sick left foot,” Duke continued, using an expression the Fraser twins wouldn’t disown.
For his part, Losada was unable to specify when Opoku will make his debut with the Bleu-blanc-noir, explaining that administrative subtleties could delay his arrival with the team. However, he assured that he will take part in more than one practice before his first official match, unlike Duke and Lassiter who had plunged very quickly into the heart of the matter.
Eventually, Losada wouldn’t say if he wanted the club’s management to continue their search for new players, in which case that would mean some would be called on to leave.
“I’m happy with the group of players that I currently have on hand,” he concluded.
Note that the current summer transfer period in MLS will end on August 2.
2023-07-06 20:15:00
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