Former France and Manchester City defender Bacary Sagna has joined Montreal Impact in MLS, where he will play until at least the end of 2018.
The 35-year-old has opted to leave Benevento after just five months with the Italian club, with whom he suffered relegation from Serie A at the end of 2017-18.
Sagna was without a club after leaving Manchester City in June 2017 following a three-season spell in which he helped club to a League Cup win in 2015-16.
Montreal have the option of signing Sagna for a further year and the right-sided defender, who earned 65 caps with France between 2007 and 2016, joins a team currently fifth in the Eastern Conference.
Impact head coach Remi Garde told the club’s official website: “I’m very happy of Bacary’s arrival.
“He’s a player with a great career who’s still very motivated to come and help the Impact defy its end of season challenge.
“His personality, experience, and overall game will be a plus for our team.”
Sagna received his first senior international cap for France on 22 August 2007 in a friendly match against Slovakia on the road, which they won 1–0, coming on as a substitute for François Clerc after one hour of play. He went on to make his competitive debut for France in their 6–0 away win at the Faroe Islands on 13 October 2007 in the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifiers, playing all 90 minutes. It was his only appearance in the Euro 2008 qualifying.
He was not a candidate to join the French team at the Euro 2008 finals in Austria and Switzerland as he was still recovering from the injury sustained in Arsenal’s Premier League match at Chelsea in March 2008.
After recovering from the injury, Sagna returned to the French team for their friendly match against Sweden in August 2008, playing all 90 minutes in a 3–2 away win. He went on to become a regular in the French team’s qualifying campaign for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He was also a part of the disastrous French World Cup campaign when the team crashed out at the group stage after losing 2 – 1 against hosts South Africa.
Sagna missed out on UEFA Euro 2012 with a broken leg