MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact announced on Friday that defender Daniel Kinumbe and midfielder Clément Bayiha signed their first MLS contracts as MLS Homegrown Players for next season, with three option years.

“Daniel Kinumbe and Clément Bayiha are two young players with good potential,” said Impact head coach Rémi Garde. “They put a lot of work in training during the 2018 preseason with the pros and I think they have an interesting progress margin.”

Kinumbe, 19, attended training camp with the Impact first team in 2018 before finishing his season with the Impact U19. He then signed with Ottawa Fury FC on August 6 for the remainder of the 2018 USL season. He played three games, including two starts. The defender was raised in Sherbrooke, Quebec, before playing for club Panellinios. He then joined the Montreal Impact Academy in 2016.

“I would like to thank those close to me and my coaches who have supported me, as well as the Montreal Impact for this opportunity,” said defender Daniel Kinumbe. “Signing this contract means so much to me. I need to continue to progress in order to reach my objectives and help the team reach theirs.”

Kinumbe has also been a part of the Canadian national program since he was 15 years old. In June of 2018, he took part in the Toulon Tournament, in France, with Canada’s U21 team, and was the only one to play every minute of all four games Canada played.

Bayiha, 19, also attended training camp with the first team in 2018 before concluding his USSDA season. He then signed with Ottawa Fury FC on July 24 for the remainder of the 2018 USL season. The midfielder born in Yaoundé, Cameroon, joined the Montreal Impact Academy in 2016 from club AS Blainville. He made his debut with Canada’s U21 team at the Toulon Tournament on Sunday, June 3, against Japan.

“I’m proud to have signed my first MLS contract with the Montreal Impact, my city’s club,” said midfielder Clément Bayiha. “I would like to thank Rémi Garde for putting his confidence in me and for believing in my qualities. I would also like to thank the Montreal Impact Academy and AS Blainville, my last amateur club, which helped perfect my skills and reach the next level.”

On July 25, 2018, he was available on loan from Ottawa with the Montreal Impact for a Canadian Championship game against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. He then played two USL games with Ottawa. On Friday, September 7, he also took part in the Cap City Cup as an Impact player against Fury FC, scoring the lone goal in a 1-0 Montreal win.

Transaction: The Montreal Impact signed defender Daniel Kinumbe and midfielder Clément Bayiha as MLS Homegrown Players on Friday, November 16, 2018.

DANIEL KINUMBE

Position: Defender

Height: 5’8’’

Weight: 155lbs

Date of birth: March 15, 1999

Place of residence: Montreal, QC

Previous team: Ottawa Fury FC

Date acquired: November 16, 2018

CLÉMENT BAYIHA

Position: Midfielder

Height: 5’8”

Weight: 155lbs

Date of birth: March 8, 1999

Place of residence: Saint-Thérèse

Previous team: Ottawa Fury FC

Date acquired: November 16, 2018