MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact announced on Tuesday the extension of midfielder and Finland international Lassi Lappalainen’s loan until December 31, 2020, from Italian club Bologna FC 1909.
“We are really pleased with Lassi’s loan extension and we’re happy to have him stay with us,” said Impact Sporting Director Olivier Renard. “He is the type of player with a profile we like in our roster, meaning a young player with huge potential. He showed his qualities in MLS since last July and we put a lot of trust in him. Lassi feels good in this city and wanted to remain in this club.”
Lappalainen joined the Impact on July 25, 2019, at the age of 20, and scored a brace in his debut with Montreal on July 27, 2019, in a 4-0 win over the Philadelphia Union. He scored five goals and got one assist in 12 MLS games, including eight starts.
Before joining the Impact, Lappalainen scored six goals in 2019 with HJK Helsinki, three goals in the regular season, two in UEFA Champions League and one in the Finland Cup. That year, he played 16 games in the Veikkausliiga, the Finnish first division, including 15 starts and 1340 minutes of play. He also played two games in the UEFA Champions League, also getting an assist, and played in five Finland Cup games.
Previously, he played a season and a half on loan with Rovaniemen Palloseura, also in the Veikkausliiga, in 2017 and 2018, scoring a total of 12 goals in 39 regular-season games and three goals in five Finland Cup games.
He played his first professional season in the Veikkausliiga with HJK Helsinki in 2016, playing 14 regular-season games, one Finland Cup game and four games of the Finnish League Cup.
With the Finland national team, he played seven games, including five in the Euro 2020 qualifiers, helping his country qualify.
Transaction: The Montreal Impact extends midfielder Lassi Lappalainen’s loan from Bologna FC 1909 until December 31, 2020.
LASSI LAPPALAINEN
Position: Winger
Height: 6’0’’
Weight: 175 lbs
Birthdate and birthplace: August 24, 1998, in Espoo, Finland
Citizenship: Finland
Last club: Bologna FC 1909 (Italy)
Date acquired: July 25, 2019 (Extension on June 16, 2020)
