Alexis Sanchez Joins CF Montreal: A New Chapter in MLS
Alexis Sanchez has added a new stop to his remarkable world tour. The former Barcelona, Arsenal, Manchester United, Inter, Marseille and Sevilla forward has signed as a designated player with CF Montreal, stepping into Major League Soccer at 37 with the same intent that has driven his entire career: to matter.
A short deal with big expectations
Montreal have tied Sanchez down on an initial deal running until next May, covering the rest of this campaign and the sprint season slated for the first half of 2027. The club hold a one-year option that could keep him in Canada through the 2027-28 season, once his current spell in Spain concludes.
It’s a calculated move. Short enough to limit risk. Long enough to demand impact.
Chile’s all-time leading scorer — 51 goals in 168 caps — sounded energised rather than nostalgic as he addressed his new challenge through club channels.
“I am very happy to join CF Montreal and take on this new challenge. I'm grateful to the club for the confidence they've shown in me,” Sanchez said. “I'm eager to put my experience to work so that we can reach our objectives and create memorable moments for our supporters. I'm here to give everything I have for the club and for this city.”
No farewell tour. A statement of intent.
Montreal in trouble, Sanchez in the spotlight
The timing is no coincidence. Montreal are struggling.
They sit 14th in the Eastern Conference, with just 16 points from 18 matches under interim manager Philippe Eullaffroy. The attack has misfired badly, ranking among the least productive in MLS. The football has been flat, the mood even flatter.
A seven-match winless run in domestic play has drained confidence. The club needed a jolt, something — or someone — to change the conversation.
They chose Sanchez.
Club chief Luca Saputo framed the move as a cornerstone of a wider rebuild, not a quick marketing splash.
“The arrival of Alexis Sanchez represents an important step in our sporting project. Alexis possesses exceptional technical quality and experience at the highest level of world football,” Saputo said.
“His personality, leadership and competitive mindset fully align with our club's identity and ambitions. We are of firm belief that he will have an immediate impact both on the field and in the locker room.”
That’s the bet: that a player who has carried Chile, lit up the Premier League and survived the pressure cookers of Barcelona and Inter can now drag a faltering MLS side up the table.
Immediate test in D.C.
There won’t be much easing-in. Sanchez could make his official debut as early as this weekend, when Montreal travel to face Eastern Conference rivals D.C. United.
The task in front of him is blunt and unforgiving. Reignite an attack that doesn’t score enough. Lift a dressing room that hasn’t tasted victory in weeks. Translate his experience into points, not just headlines.
Montreal haven’t brought him in to be a nostalgic attraction. They’ve brought him in to change games.
If he can still bend matches to his will on a new continent, in a new league, under the glare of a fanbase desperate for a spark, CF Montreal’s season might yet be rewritten. If he can’t, this chapter will be remembered as a gamble that came too late.
Either way, MLS is about to find out how much Alexis Sanchez has left.
