Impact on verge of signing French striker Jimmy Briand from Ligue-1 club

The Montreal Impact are set to sign striker Jimmy Briand from French Ligue-1 club Guingamp.

The Major League Soccer team tweeted that the French-born Briand, who turns 33 on Aug. 2, will be in Montreal this week and that it is “only a matter of time” before he becomes an Impact player.

Guingamp announced his departure on Sunday, saying Briand asked to leave. He had one year left on his contract.

“We thank our former captain for his three seasons with the club and wish him the same success in Montreal as his illustrious predecessor Didier Drogba,” a team statement said.

Former Chelsea and Ivory Coast star Drogba played for the Impact in 2015 and 2016.

The Impact, with only 28 goals in 22 games and only two from regular striker Matteo Mancosu, were seeking a proven scorer to go with attacking midfielders Ignacio Piatti, Alejandro Silva and Saphir Taider.

Briand already knows Impact coach Remi Garde, having played under him at Lyon from 2011 to 2014, when he scored 22 goals in 110 games.

He had 11 goals in 37 games for Guingamp last season. He also played for Rennes in Ligue 1 and spent the 2014 season in Germany with Hannover. He played five times for France between 2008 and 2012.