Alexis Sánchez Joins CF Montreal: A New Challenge in MLS

Alexis Sánchez is crossing another border. After Barcelona, Arsenal, Manchester United, Inter, Marseille and Sevilla, the Chilean icon has now landed in MLS, signing as a designated player with CF Montreal in a move that underlines both his enduring ambition and the club’s growing desperation.

The 37-year-old has agreed an initial deal that runs until next May, taking him through the rest of this campaign and the sprint season set for the first half of 2027. Montreal also hold a one-year option for the 2027-28 season, extending beyond the end of his current spell in Spain.

This is not a farewell tour for Chile’s all-time leading scorer. At least, he’s not treating it like one.

With 51 goals in 168 caps for his country, Sánchez spoke with the conviction of a player still intent on deciding matches, not just selling shirts.

“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,” he said via the club’s official channels. “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.”

Montreal need every ounce of that promise.

They sit 14th in the Eastern Conference, marooned near the bottom after collecting just 16 points from 18 matches under interim manager Philippe Eullaffroy. The form guide is brutal: seven league games without a win and one of the least threatening attacks in MLS.

So the club has turned to a serial winner.

Club chief Luca Saputo did not hide his excitement at landing one of the most decorated forwards of his generation.

“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 is the bet. That a player who has lived the pressure of the Camp Nou, the Emirates, Old Trafford and the San Siro can walk into a struggling MLS side and instantly raise the level.

Montreal are banking on his presence to jolt a blunt frontline into life. Goals have been scarce, confidence even more so. A name like Sánchez changes the mood in a dressing room before he even laces his boots.

His debut could come fast. As early as this weekend, he may be thrown straight into the fight when Montreal travel to face Eastern Conference rivals D.C. United.

A team stuck in a rut. A fanbase searching for a spark. A veteran star with nothing left to prove, yet still talking about giving “everything” to a new city.

Montreal don’t just need Alexis Sánchez to add shine. They need him to change their season.