Impact signs Italian defender Alessandro Nesta

Alessandro Nesta of AC Milan salutes the fans after his last game for AC Milan

MONTREAL, Quebec  ●   The Montreal Impact have added former AC Milan and Lazio defender Alessandro Nesta to their growing list of Italian veterans.

Financial terms of the deal were not released on Thursday, but the 2006 World Cup winner will not have the status of Designated Player, so his remuneration will come under the league’s salary cap.

“I’m very happy to be here,” Nesta said. “Despite some offers to continue my career in Europe, I was looking for a new challenge and wanted to play in MLS.

“Upon visiting my friend Marco (Di Vaio) to see him play his first game with Montreal, I met great people in this club. I really liked what I saw and I was convinced Montreal was where I wanted to be.”

Di Vaio, a forward who was once Nesta’s teammate at Lazio, made his Impact debut last week against Toronto.

●  Portland Timbers have acquired defender Kosuke Kimura from the Colorado Rapids for allocation money and an international slot.

Kimura has spent six seasons with the Rapids, playing in 117 matches with four goals and eight assists. He’s played in 12 matches this season with a goal and two assists.

Kimura played at Western Illinois University and was a third-round pick in the 2007 MLS Supplemental draft.