MONTREAL - The Montreal Impact announced on Friday the acquisitions of forward Mike Fucito and midfielder Lamar Neagle from the Seattle Sounders in exchange for forward Eddie Johnson, selected earlier in the day through the allocation process.
Fucito, 25, and Neagle, 24, both helped Seattle win the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in 2011, on October 4, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2-0 against the Chicago Fire, as well as a second place finish in the Western Conference.
“We have made our team much stronger today,” said Impact head coach Jesse Marsch. “Mike Fucito is a dynamic and talented young forward who we believe is on the verge of having a great year and establishing himself as a very good forward in MLS. Lamar Neagle is a player who is a very good offensive threat from wide positions and has also shown that he can score goals.”
Fucito scored six goals and added three assists in 28 appearances, 17 of those as a starter, across all competitions in 2011. He also appeared in three career MLS playoff games.
He was named the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Player of the Round after scoring two goals vs Kitsap on June 28. He added two goals, including the game-winner, in a 4-1 CONCACAF Champions League win against Comunicaciones on August 16.
The native of Westford, Massachusetts, also added four goals in nine games in 2010 for the Sounders. He was selected in the fourth round, 46th overall, of the MLS SuperDraft in 2009.
Fucito led the Ivy League in total points and was a second team All-American as senior in 2008 and finished his final season as team captain.
Lamar Neagle scored five goals and added two assists in 23 matches for Seattle last season, tied for third on the team lead. He made two playoff appearances, one as a starter, scoring a goal.
In 2010-2011, the player from Tacoma, Washington, played with IFK Mariehamn of the Finnish Premier Division, scoring two goals in five league games.
Neagle scored 12 goals in 19 regular season matches, with the Charleston Battery, in 2010, earning Golden Boot and MVP honours. He went on to win the 2010 regular season and playoff championships.
He was also a three-time Mountain Pacific Sports Federation first team selection at UNLV, and scored a league-high nine goals as a senior.
As an expansion team, the Impact was ranked first of the allocation order giving the club the opportunity to draft Johnson, who had signed a new deal with the league on Thursday, to return to MLS.
MIKE FUCITO
Position: Forward
Height: 5’9
Weight: 165 lbs
Birth date: March 29, 1986, Westford, Massachusetts
Place of residence: Westford, Massachusetts
Former club: Seattle Sounders FC (MLS)
Acquired: February 17, 2012
LAMAR NEAGLE
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5’11
Weight: 165 lbs
Birth date: May 7, 1987, Federal Way, Washington
Place of residence: Federal Way, Washington
Former club: Seattle Sounders FC (MLS)
Acquired: February 17, 2012
