CF Montreal’s busy off-season continues on Friday as striker in the room Reported to the club for the first time since their most recent public trade request.
The Sierra Leone international, who said in a January 11 social media post that he wanted to move on from the Major League Soccer club, did not do anything with the team on Friday.
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Instead, he focused on a series of running drills with fellow striker Mason Toye, who has been taking preventive measures in training since feeling tightness in his leg earlier this week.
Kamara was not available to the media, but the front office is disappointed with the way it turned out, he is still part of the club in the eyes of some of his teammates.
“We gave him a little hard time about it all and cracked a few jokes, but at the end of the day, he’s under contract and he’s our partner.” said goalkeeper James Pantemis. “The work he does both on the field and in the locker room is very important. His experience and leadership is huge for us and many young players.”
Kamara was selected as a free agent at the start of the 2022 season and scored nine goals and added eight assists in 39 appearances in all competitions on his way to being nominated for the MLS Comeback Player of the Year award.
Despite finishing second on the team in goals, he earned US$94,000 last season, which ranked 25th among Montreal players.
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Meanwhile, Pantemis has emerged as the clear starting goalkeeper for Montreal after competing with Sebastien Brezza last season. With Brezza returning to Italy after his loan spell in Montreal, Pantemis is becoming one of the team’s more experienced players, having been with the club since 2017 in addition to a six-month loan spell with Valor FC of the Canadian Premier League.
He has taken it upon himself to welcome an influx of new players, including fellow Greek Canadian Ilias Iliadis, who recently moved over from Greek club Panathinaikos’ reserve team.
Those new players include fullback Aaron Herrera, who will be counted on to strengthen the right side of the defense. Herrera was dealt to Real Salt Lake in exchange for US$500,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) over the next two seasons, a 2023 international roster spot and Montreal’s 25th overall selection in this year’s MLS SuperDraft.
“As anyone would be, the first day was complete shock,” Herrera said of receiving the news of his trade. “I was with Salt Lake for about 10 years, but it was mostly excitement after that kind of set in.”
Herrera spent five years in Salt Lake City developing into a versatile defender whose delivery was his greatest strength. In the 2021 MLS season, Herrera led all defenders with 11 assists.
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Canadian international Alistair Johnston was Montreal’s key distributor from defense before departing for Scottish giants Celtic. Herrera was touted as the kind of energetic and versatile defender who could help fill the gap left by Johnson, who was named the club’s defensive player of the year in 2022.
“Definitely there is pressure, but I’m not trying to change that,” Herrera said. “I’m trying my best to be one of the best outside backs in the league. (Head coach Hernan Losada) knows I can play anywhere along the back line so I’m sure that’s what I’ll do this year.
Montreal has completed half of its pre-season camp before flying to Florida on February 5 to finalize preparations for their season opener on February 25 against Inter Miami.
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