Bologna's Orji Okwonkwo celebrates after scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Bologna and Sampdoria, at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, Saturday, Nov. 25, 2017. The Montreal Impact have acquired Nigerian striker Okwonkwo on loan from Italian club Bologna FC 1909 for the 2019 season. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ AP-Giorgio Benvenuti/ANSA via AP
February 12, 2019 - 8:19 AM
MONTREAL - The Montreal Impact have acquired Nigerian striker Orji Okwonkwo on loan from Italian club Bologna FC 1909 for the 2019 season.
The 21-year-old has played the last three seasons in Italy, scoring three goals in 27 Serie A games. He joined the Italian club in 2016 after going through the academy of Nigerian club FC Abuja.
At the international level, Okwonkwo won the FIFA U17 World Cup in 2015 in Chile with the Nigeria U17 team, appearing in five games throughout the tournament. He scored a goal in a 4-2 win against Mexico in the semifinals.
"I'm satisfied in welcoming another striker to the team," Impact head coach Remi Garde said in a statement. "Orji Okwonkwo is a young player scouted by Bologna three years ago who will help reinforce the team offensively. He's a strong and quick forward who has an interesting margin of progression."
The Impact resume pre-season play on Saturday against Philadelphia in St. Petersburg, Fla.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2019