MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact announced on Monday the acquisition of American midfielder Davy Arnaud, from Sporting Kansas City, in return for defender Seth Sinovic, who was selected in the 2011 Major League Soccer (MLS) Expansion Draft, along with allocation money.
Arnaud, a 31-year-old league veteran and captain of his former team for the last two seasons, played for 10 seasons with Kansas City. Arnaud sits in first place all-time with 240 games played with K.C. He is also in second place all-time with 43 goals and third in assists with 35, games played at 213 and minutes played with 19,390. He has played more than 2,000 minutes over a span of seven consecutive seasons. He has also played in 15 career playoff games.
“Davy is a fierce competitor, an incredible leader and a hard-working player,” said Impact head coach Jesse Marsch. “He is a proven winner in MLS. He will help us establish a winning environment with our team. His acquisition makes us a better team.”
“Following the acquisition of defender Nelson Rivas, we have added to our roster another key player in a vital position,” said Impact sporting director Nick De Santis. “Davy Arnaud will become a part of the team’s nucleus. We are very pleased to have acquired him.”
"I'm very excited about coming to Montreal, said newcomer Arnaud. "After 10 years in Kansas City, it's a new challenge for me. I heard a lot of great things about this city. The Montreal Impact has a great history and I'm looking forward to be part of this organization. I will do my best to help the team win and make my new supporters proud of their club. The 2012 season will be a very special one for soccer in Montreal and it's great to be part of this."In 2004, Arnaud most notably helped his team win the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, as well as reach the MLS Cup championship final, scoring two goals against LA in the Western Conference finals."
Arnaud won the team’s Budweiser Golden Ball in 2008 following a campaign that saw him finish first in team scoring with seven goals, three of which were game winners. He was also named the Team Heart Award winner in 2007 and 2008, given to the most dedicated team player.
He played against English Premier League side Everton as part of the MLS All-Star game in 2009. That same year, Arnaud played in three games in the North American SuperLiga championship.
Last season, Arnaud played in 22 regular season games (1,536 minutes), with 16 starts, earning two assists, along with three playoff games.
He was selected by Kansas City in the 5th round, 50th overall, in the 2002 MLS SuperDraft.
On the international scene, he played in seven games for the U.S. National Team. Five of those games came in the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup where he played a vital role, scoring his first international goal against Haiti. He also took part in one World Cup qualifier against Guatemala in 2008.
During his college career, he was the first player from West Texas A&M to be selected as an All-American (first-team all-star), after scoring 13 goals and adding three assists in his junior year. He totalled 31 goals and 11 assists over three college seasons and was enshrined in the West Texas A&M Hall of fame in 2008.
On another note, the Impact will be unveiling its new team jersey for the club’s inaugural season in MLS, as part of a major event set at the Montreal Science Centre this Thursday night.
DAVY ARNAUD
Position: Midfielder
Height: 6’0
Weight: 165 lbs
Birth date: June 22, 1980, Nederland, Texas
Residence: Nederland, Texas
Former club: Sporting Kansas City (MLS 2011)
Acquired: November 28, 2011
