Impact sign ex-Barcelona forward Krkic, bring back Tabla

The Montreal Impact have signed 29-year-old Spanish forward Bojan Krkic and also brought homegrown product Ballou Tabla back into the fold on a six-month loan from FC Barcelona.

The club announced on Wednesday that former Barcelona player Krkic had agreed to a contract through the end of the 2020 season, with options for two subsequent seasons. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Krkic spent last season playing for Stoke City in the England’s second division, where he scored one goal in 21 matches. He left the club by mutual consent during the weekend.

He started his career at Barcelona, where he reportedly scored more than 900 goals as a youth player and broke Lionel Messi’s record as the club’s youngest player to appear in a La Liga match.

He won domestic and Champions League titles with Barcelona, albeit not as a regular starter.

Krkic has also played for Roma, Milan, Ajax, Alavés and Mainz.

Tabla returns to the Impact after joining FC Barcelona B, in Spain’s second division, in 2018 following his transfer from the Impact. He played 31 games with the team, scoring three goals and adding two assists.

He is on a six-month loan until the end of the 2019 season.

“I’m very happy to welcome Ballou to the club that saw him grow,” Impact head coach Rémi Garde said in a press release. “The opportunity with Barcelona and his desire to return to Montreal came up very recently. No need to talk of his quality, since it’s in front of the supporters that Ballou revealed his ability. ”