CF Montreal bolstered its midfield Thursday, landing veteran Dani Pereira from Austin FC in a deal valued at up to $2.35 million in general allocation money.
The 25-year-old from Venezuela first arrived at Austin as the top overall selection in the 2021 MLS Draft. Over the course of six seasons, he tallied six goals and 23 assists in 165 total appearances, placing him third all-time in club appearances and tied for second in franchise assists.
Austin interim head coach Davy Arnaud spoke warmly about Pereira’s contributions to the organization. “Dani has meant a great deal to this club since joining as its first-ever draft pick,” 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.”
Arnaud also addressed the difficulty of letting a key player go, framing the move as part of a larger strategic plan. “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.”
Under the financial terms, Austin FC will receive $1.4 million in 2026, followed by $700,000 in 2027, with an additional $250,000 available in conditional allocation money. The club also retains a sell-on percentage should Pereira be transferred again in the future.
Pereira expressed deep gratitude to the Austin community in a heartfelt farewell statement. “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,” he 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.”
He also directed special thanks to the fanbase: “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.”
Before turning professional, Pereira played college soccer at Virginia Tech. He has represented the Venezuelan national team 10 times since earning his first cap in 2023.
