CF Montreal acquired young American defender Jalen Neal in return for $450,000 in general allocation money (GAM) in 2025, $200,000 in GAM in 2026 and ‘an international player place in 2025, the MLS organization announced in a press release on Monday.
“We are delighted to welcome this promising young defender to Montreal,” said CF Montreal President and CEO Gabriel Gervais. Jalen fits the profile of the modern defender we wanted to add to our squad, being technically good, fast and versatile. Despite his young age, he already has significant experience in MLS and on the international scene. We are convinced that he will help us defensively this season and for the future.
Neal, a Galaxy Academy product, won the MLS Cup in 2024. The 21-year-old accumulated 2,671 minutes in 34 games, including 28 starts, during the 2023 and 2024 MLS seasons with the Galaxy. On the international stage, he has notably been selected six times by the United States senior team and represented his country in the Gold Cup in 2023.
