Switzerland international Blerim Dzemaili will join Montreal Impact as a Designated Player in the summer of 2017.
Dzemaili, 30, has played in all but one of Bologna's 15 Serie A games this season and made four starts four his country at Euro 2016.
"I'm not hiding it: Dzemaili's contract is a multi-year deal. He'll be in Bologna until June 2017, and he will then be transferred to Montreal," club president Joey Saputo revealed at the club's end-of-season news conference. "He's not hiding that either. He's ready to come to Montreal."
READ | Swiss international @dzemaili86 to join Impact in the summer of 2017 >> https://t.co/fziWaoSbSd #IMFC pic.twitter.com/7x1rOCbpHz
- Impact de Montréal (@impactmontreal) December 9, 2016
Technical director Adam Braz added. "Dzemaili's profile is very interesting for our team. We see him as a hybrid central midfielder between a No. 8 and a No. 10. He has the physical capacities to play box to box, and one of his main strengths is his ability to make late trailing runs in the box.
"He's an international player with a lot of experience playing at the highest level. He'll bring a lot to this group, not only on the field but also in the locker room with his experience."
Following the Impact's 3-2 win against Toronto FC in the first leg of the MLS Eastern Conference finals, Didier Drogba told reporters he would not be returning to the club and it was beaten 5-2 in the return.