Why have CF Montreal signed a 37-year-old Alexis Sanchez?

Analysis

Tom Weber | Writer

Multilingual sports writer who specialises in European football and American soccer.

CF Montreal have signed former Arsenal and Manchester United striker Alexis Sanchez as a Designated Player.

The Chilean legend has joined the Quebec franchise on a free transfer after one season at LaLiga side Sevilla. Sanchez made 30 appearances across all competitions last term, scoring four goals in 1,400 minutes.

The 37-year-old is one of the greatest South American players of his generation. In addition to playing for clubs like Arsenal, Man Utd and Inter, Sanchez enjoyed remarkable success at the international level.

He led Chile to back-to-back Copa America titles in 2015 and 2016, which remain La Roja's only pieces of major silverware to date. Between 2006 and 2025, Sanchez made 168 appearances for his country and played in two World Cups.

The veteran forward has no doubt had a stellar career, but the fact that Montreal have now signed him - and to a DP deal, no less - has raised eyebrows and invited ridicule. MLS, evidently, isn't beating the retirement league allegations.

Sanchez signing raises questions

On the face of it, signing Sanchez at this stage in his career really isn't a great look. It is a move that reeks of desperation from a Montreal side that is seven points adrift of the playoff line after winning just four of their 18 MLS games in 2026.

Montreal are one of the worst-run teams in MLS, with ownership generally just doing the bare minimum. They haven't really spent transfer fees in recent years, with most of their signings being intra-league trades using allocation money.

The Sanchez signing continues the club's trend of not spending fees - not even on their premium roster spots. Obviously, the fact that he is a DP means that he is getting a not insignificant salary, but Montreal's squad investment can't really be compared to the rest of MLS.

Spending doesn't guarantee success, of course. The Philadelphia Union and the Seattle Sounders have shown in recent years that you can also win titles when you're smart with your roster building and invest in your academy - but Montreal haven't done that either!

Sanchez would have been a big get for the club and MLS a few years ago, but not in 2026, not at 37. He's washed! He has scored eight goals over the past three years.

He enjoyed a remarkable outlier season at Marseille in 2022/23 when he bagged 18 goals across all competitions, but that's the only time he has scored double digits in the past decade. Age has caught up with him, and he has struggled to consistently stay fit.

MLS clubs have made a concerted effort to court ageing global superstars since the arrival of Lionel Messi - which has perpetuated the retirement league trope - with the idea of getting eyeballs on the league ahead of negotiations over a new broadcast contract.

However, the current deal with Apple TV doesn't expire until the end of the 2029 season, and new commissioner Larry Berg has already admitted that working on the next agreement isn't on his agenda for at least another 12 to 18 months.

By that time, some of the big-name stars that have been signed lately - Robert Lewandowski, Antoine Griezmann and, of course, Sanchez - might not even be around anymore.

Does Sanchez move the needle in terms of MLS's popularity? It is estimated that there are fewer than 300,000 Chileans in the USA and Canada, and he hasn't played for the national team in a year, so probably not.

Why Sanchez could work at Montreal

Despite all of the above, Sanchez's arrival could give Montreal a small boost. The city is home to one of Canada's largest Chilean communities, with more than 10,000 people in the area tracing their roots back to the South American country.

Moreover, Montreal are not a completely lost cause. Striker Prince Owusu has been genuinely great for them, notching 10 goals in 17 appearances this season.

At this point in his career, Sanchez is at his best when he has a physical striker he can play off of because he is no longer capable of rampaging down the wing. A partnership of the Chilean and Owusu could be a recipe for success, provided Montreal actually keep the latter this summer.

Of course, that's just one piece of the puzzle. Sanchez probably doesn't elevate the rest of the team - in fact, he is more likely to be a defensive liability at his age, so Montreal won't suddenly turn into a playoff team.

At 37, Sanchez isn't someone you can build your team around either. His signing is effectively a tiny, short-term band-aid on a massive gaping wound, but Montreal need whatever little help they can get.

They're winless in league play since MLS returned from its World Cup break. At best, Sanchez will get them a few more points in games they would otherwise have drawn or lost.

At worst, he'll leave in a year or two having done absolutely nothing, and Montreal will still be in the same bad spot they're currently in. They've got nothing to lose at this point, and there's not really a risk attached to this deal, so why not give it a shot?

Written by

Tom Weber | Writer

Tom Weber is an experienced, multilingual sports writer who specialises in European football and American soccer as part of his freelance work for FootballTransfers.

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