CF Montreal Swoops For Johnston!

Alistair Johnston is headed back to Canada to join CF Montreal as per reports emerging from The Athletic’s Sam Stejskal

It’s been quite a year for the Canadian international defender, who could also have played for Northern Ireland under the parentage qualification.

Having only made his full international debut in March, Johnston has now tallied the incredible amount of 18 caps in less than a year, a sign of Covid-times and Canada’s World Cup campaign kicking-off so early amongst the minnows.

Firmly established in the Nashville SC side he scored his first MLS goal in a 5-1 success for Nashville SC over Inter-Miami earlier this year, and now he’s about to return to Montreal where like James Pantemis, he once played youth soccer for Lakeshore SC

Photo by Matthew Maxey/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Details of the deal have not been formally disclosed, nor has the club yet confirmed the trade, however it’s widely believed Montreal will pay Nashville $1m in allocation money, spread over 2022 and 2023. They will also send a portion of any sale to Tennessee should Johnston be sold abroad in the future.

Johnston has made 43 MLS appearances for NashvilleSC since debuting last year (2021) and has played an integral part in Canada’s impressive World Cup qualifying bid, which sees them top CONCACAF’s Octagonal Group after eight rounds.

As at the time of this news release neither CF Montreal nor Nashville SC has confirmed this trade.