Alexis Sanchez Joins CF Montreal to Revive Season

Alexis Sanchez is heading to MLS, and he is not coming quietly.

CF Montreal have signed the 37-year-old Chilean as a designated player, handing the former Barcelona, Arsenal, Manchester United, Inter, Marseille and Sevilla forward a deal that runs until next May. It covers the rest of this campaign and the sprint season slated for the first half of 2027, with the Canadian club holding a one-year option for the 2027-28 season once his current spell in Spain concludes.

This is not a vanity move. It is a rescue mission.

Sanchez arrives as Chile’s all-time leading scorer – 51 goals in 168 caps – and one of the most decorated South American forwards of his generation. He knows exactly what his name still carries, and he leaned straight into the responsibility.

“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 told the club’s media. “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.

Under interim manager Philippe Eullaffroy, they sit 14th in the Eastern Conference, marooned on 16 points from 18 matches. The attack has spluttered, ranking among the lowest-scoring in MLS. The mood has matched the numbers: flat, frustrated, drifting.

So the club has reached for a player used to Champions League nights and title races.

Club chief Luca Saputo did not hide the scale of the move.

“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,” he 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 veteran with a hardened edge can jolt a season back to life, not just with goals but with standards.

The timing adds to the sense of urgency. Montreal are winless in seven league matches, slipping further away from the pack with every weekend. The dressing room needs a voice. The pitch needs a focal point. The fanbase needs a spark.

Sanchez could provide all three as soon as this weekend. His debut may come on the road against Eastern Conference rivals D.C. United, a stage perfectly suited to a statement entrance if fitness and paperwork align.

For now, Montreal have done their part. They have pushed their chips to the middle of the table, banking on a 37-year-old with a career’s worth of big moments left in his boots.

The question is simple: can Alexis Sanchez turn a struggling side into a threat before this season slips away for good?