With the Montreal Impact needing roster and salary cap room in the wake of acquiring Didier Drogba and Johan Venegas over the past week, someone had to move on from the Quebec-based side. On Tuesday, the Impact announced that striker Jack McInerney was traded to the Columbus Crew in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2016 MLS Super Draft.
"Following our two recent signings, we needed to make a move to free up a roster spot," Impact technical director Adam Braz said in a statement. "We found a viable solution to make a move before the trade window closed. We would like to thank Jack for his contributions to the club and we wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors."
McInerney joined the Impact in April 2014 after a starting his professional career with the Philadelphia Union. Drafted as a teenager in 2010, McInerney tallied 25 goals in 95 regular season appearances with the Union before heading to Montreal in a trade that involved Andrew Wenger. The soon-to-be 23-year-old ends his time with the Impact having scored 18 goals in 54 appearances through all competitions for the club.
It's that nose for goal that the Crew said made the deal attractive to them.
"We believe Jack McInerney is going to make an immediate impression on the club and feel that his qualities will help him assimilate easily into our system," Columbus head coach Gregg Berhalter said. "He's a young player that possesses great timing with his movements and has a talent for scoring goals. His track record so far in this league has been outstanding, and we look forward to him contributing on the field for us."
Columbus and Montreal currently sit third and sixth, respectively, in the hotly contested Eastern Conference.
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