MONTREAL — Veteran midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker won’t be back with the Montreal Impact.
The 31-year-old and the Impact mutually agreed to terminate his contract, the Major League Soccer team announced Friday.
Reo-Coker, a defensive midfielder who had his best moments in big matches, had two assists in 28 games in 2015.
His departure frees up an international roster spot but leaves the Impact thin at the holding midfield position, where he often started alongside the returning Marco Donadel.
The Impact open training camp Monday at Olympic Stadium without word on whether striker Didier Drogba will be back.
The Ivorian star took MLS by storm when he joined the Impact in late July, scoring 11 goals in as many regular-season games to help the 15-13-5 club climb to third place in the Eastern Conference.
Drogba, 37, is under contract for the 2016 campaign, but is also coveted by his former English Premier League club, Chelsea, perhaps as an assistant coach. However, Drogba recently tweeted he has not yet decided whether to retire as a player.
If he’s not back, the Impact will need to do some quick shopping for a striker. Montreal dealt Jack McInerney after Drogba’s arrival last season although it has young forward Cameron Porter returning after missing most of 2015 with a knee injury.
The Impact is optimistic Victor Cabrera will be back in camp after playing last season on loan from his Argentine club. Reports say he is close to a new deal with Montreal.
The 22-year-old took time to adjust to MLS, but by the end of the season had a solid partnership in the central defence Laurent Ciman, the league’s top defender last year.
The Impact lost veteran midfielder Justin Mapp to free agency but replaced him with five-foot-six Argentine Lucas Ontivero on loan from Turkish club Galatasaray.
The Impact will train two days at Olympic Stadium before heading to Orlando, Fla. to work outdoors in warm weather.
Goalie Maxime Crepeau, defender Wandrille Lefevre and midfielder Kyle Bekker are to miss the start of camp with the Canadian national team. Fullback Erik Miller is away with the U.S. squad and midfielder Johan Venegas is with Costa Rica.
Mauro Biello, who replaced Frank Klopas as head coach in September, is back with a revamped staff of assistants.
Montreal opens the season March 6 at Vancouver and plays its home opener March 12 against the New York Red Bulls at Olympic Stadium.
