CF Montreal had a dire need to recruit a new attacker. The arrival of Giacomo Vrioni seems to respond to this.
Posted at 12:16 p.m.
Updated at 1:39 p.m.
The acquisition of the designated player from the New England Revolution was confirmed early this afternoon by the Bleu-blanc-noir. In return, the CFM cedes $50,000 in general allocation money (GAM). The Revs keep a portion of his salary in 2025. If Vrioni were eventually transferred again, New England would keep a percentage of his resale.
“We are very pleased to welcome this left-handed striker who is recognized for his finishing quality and his efficiency in front of goal, both in MLS and in Europe,” said Gabriel Gervais, president and CEO of the club. .
Vrioni has 12 goals and 3 assists in 36 appearances in 2024, in all competitions. It was his best season in MLS since his arrival from Juventus in 2022. In 67 matches in the Garber circuit, he scored 16 goals.
We will therefore agree that Vrioni, despite the salary that his designated player status commands, has not burned the league since he set foot there. At 26 years old, he certainly has an interesting profile, and the CFM has demonstrated that he is capable of bringing out the best in players whose path, until their arrival in Quebec, was not perfectly mapped out. This was the case with Romell Quioto, Djordje Mihailovic, in particular, as well as with Josef Martínez, to another extent.
But now Martínez and his 13 goals (season and series) are gone. That Matías Cóccaro was sent on loan to Mexico. That Kwadwo Opoku, according to informant Tom Bogert, is in the process of being transferred to Zamalek, Egypt. While almost half of CF Montreal’s workforce is undergoing complete transformation, its offensive sector remains, to this day, its most important project.
Vrioni is a power forward. According to the MLS Multiplex site, he never really found his rhythm on the pitch with the Revs, despite a few “moments of brilliance”. Some call him a surface fox, little involved in the creation of the game, but ready to seize the opportunity when it presents itself.
Gabriel Gervais seems to confirm this analysis: “He is a dynamic player in his movements without the ball, who excels in deep calls behind the defensive line, and who creates chances thanks to passing combinations with his teammates. We are confident that he will quickly integrate into the group and our style of play as a central striker in our attacking trident. At just 26 years old, he already has significant experience. »
Vrioni was born in San Severino Marche, in the heart of Italy, and grew up in nearby Matelica. This product of the Sampdoria Academy spent time in different Italian clubs from 2014, until joining Juventus in January 2020. Sent on loan to WSG Tirol, an Austrian D1 team, he won the trophy top scorer in 2021-2022, thanks to his 19 goals.
Giacomo Vrioni represents Albania on the international stage, having played six matches for the senior team since 2018.
