TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Report
The Montreal Impact are lining up a swap with their Italian sibling club Bologna that would see Algerian international Saphir Taider move to MLS and Impact midfielder Blerim Dzemaili return to Serie A, according to a new Italian media report.
GianlucaDiMarzio.com reported on Friday that Taider, a French-born central midfielder with 38 caps for Algeria, including two appearances at the 2014 World Cup, could replace Dzemaili in the Impact’s engine room for 2018 if the Swiss international returns to Bologna after a year-long loan to Montreal. Impact owner and president Joey Saputo is also chairman at Bologna.
Taider, who turns 26 in February, has spent time at some of the biggest clubs in Italy like Juventus and Inter Milan as well as a brief loan stint with England’s Southampton FC in 2014. He’s made 10 appearances across all competitions for Bologna during their current campaign.
Dzemaili, 31, played in 22 MLS matches (all starts) for the Impact in 2017, notching seven goals and 10 assists and prompting IMFC to renew his loan arrangement for 2018. The report also mentions Pajtim Kasami, another Swiss midfielder, as an alternate option for Bologna, who currently sit in 12th place in Serie A.
