CF Montreal acquired veteran midfielder Dani Pereira from Austin FC on Thursday in exchange for up to $2.35 million in general allocation money.
The 25-year-old Venezuelan joined Austin as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft and recorded six goals and 23 assists in 165 appearances across all competitions. He ranks third in matches and tied for second in assists in franchise history.
"Dani has meant a great deal to this club since joining as its first-ever draft pick," Austin interim coach Davy
Arnaud said. "He represented Austin with pride and established a genuine connection with the community here. We're proud of his development over the last six years and we wish Dani nothing but success in this next phase of his career.
"This type of decision is always difficult for both the club and the player. While emotionally we are sad to see him go, coming into the season, we knew we would only let go of a player of Dani's caliber if doing so positioned the club for even greater long-term success. I, and our ownership team, felt that this move met that threshold and we executed a plan that was established at the start of the season."
Austin will receive $1.4 million in 2026, $700,000 in 2027 and up to $250,000 in conditional GAM. Austin also retains a sell-on percentage for any future transfer.
"I want to say thank you to everyone that has been part of this journey here in Austin in the last six years: all the teammates that I've shared the locker room with, the coaching staffs, everyone in the front office, and the owners," Pereira said. "Everyone helped make me who I am today. Austin FC as a whole changed the life of a kid from Caracas, and I will always be grateful for it.
"I want to share a special thank you to the fans for their unconditional love toward me and my family. You guys welcomed us to Austin with open arms since the first moment I got drafted. You all are the best in the league and please don't ever change that. Thank you and I'm going to miss the 512."
Pereira, who played collegiate soccer at Virginia Tech, has earned 10 caps with the Venezuela national team since 2023.
--Field Level Media
