CF Montréal announced Tuesday it has signed Chilean forward Alexis Sánchez through the abbreviated 2027 Major League Soccer sprint season, with a club option for 2027-28, a move that instantly elevates the profile of the Canadian club.
High-profile addition to a struggling attack
The 37-year-old Sánchez arrives in Montreal as the team’s most prominent acquisition since Didier Drogba’s 2015 arrival, and will occupy a designated-player slot. The club did not disclose financial terms.
Montreal currently sit near the bottom of the Eastern Conference table at 4-10-4, second-last in the conference and seven points outside a play-in position with 16 regular-season games remaining. The signing is aimed squarely at injecting star power and goal threat into a side that has struggled to produce consistent attacking output.
“He wants Alexis, No. 10.”
The tongue-in-cheek social media tease by managing director Luca Saputo set the stage for the formal announcement.
Sánchez’s pedigree and recent form
Sánchez comes to MLS after a long European career that included standout seasons in the Premier League and La Liga. He is globally recognised for his pace, creativity and ability to change games in tight spaces — traits that made him a leading figure at clubs across England, Spain, Italy and France.
| Club/Team | Notable figures |
|---|---|
| Arsenal (2014–2018) | 79 goals, 40 assists in 163 appearances |
| FC Barcelona | 42 goals in 112 appearances |
| Marseille (2022–23) | 18 goals in 44 games |
| Sevilla (last season) | 4 goals in 30 appearances (12 starts) |
| Chile (international) | 51 goals in 161 caps — all-time leader |
The club statement notes Sánchez’s decorated international résumé: he is Chile’s all-time leader in goals and appearances, and was instrumental in Chile’s back-to-back Copa América titles, famously converting the decisive penalty against Argentina in 2015 and earning player-of-the-tournament honours at the 2016 Copa América Centenario.
What Montreal gets — and what to watch
At five-foot-seven, Sánchez brings a low centre of gravity, acceleration and experience on the biggest stages. The hope is that his presence will unlock chances and attract defensive attention that creates space for teammates.
But recent form is mixed. After scoring 18 goals in 44 matches for Marseille in 2022-23, Sánchez’s production declined at Sevilla, where he managed four goals in 30 appearances last season before becoming a free agent. Montreal will be counting on the veteran to translate his pedigree into immediate impact during the sprint season.
- Immediate effect: Sánchez is expected to join the squad before Saturday’s home match against D.C. United, providing a mid-season jolt.
- Roster implications: As a designated player he will carry significant salary-weight and marketing value for the club.
- Playoff hopes: With 16 games left, Montreal remain seven points from a play-in spot; Sánchez’s arrival aims to shorten that gap.
For Canadian soccer, the move represents another moment in MLS’s growing tendency to bring established international names to North America — a trend that bolsters league visibility and television interest while offering clubs a short-term performance and commercial lift.
How Sánchez adapts to MLS’s travel, physicality and compressed sprint schedule will determine whether this is a marquee signing that helps Montreal climb the table, or a headline-grabbing gamble that yields mixed results. With a club option for the following season, the short-term nature of the deal gives Montreal flexibility based on on-field returns.
Regardless of outcomes, the arrival of Alexis Sánchez immediately reshapes the conversation around CF Montréal — and raises expectations that a veteran with a distinguished international career can help revive a faltering campaign.
