TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Re-signed
CF Montréal are bringing back goalkeeper James Pantemis after all, announcing Friday they’ve agreed to a new contract with the Canadian international.
The shot-stopper’s new deal runs through the 2023 MLS season, with option years in both 2024 and 2025. The 25-year-old homegrown was eligible for free agency.
“We initially decided not to exercise James’ contract option as only one option year remained,” Olivier Renard, Montréal’s VP and chief sporting officer, said in a release.
“We wanted to make sure to keep him with us for several years and we’re very happy that he has agreed to continue to be part of our project.”
Pantemis has seven clean sheets in 32 league appearances for Montréal. He reclaimed the starting role late into the 2022 season as Montréal earned the No. 2 seed in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, eventually losing in the Eastern Conference Semifinals to New York City FC.
Pantemis is yet to debut for Canada at the senior international level, though was a backup on their 2022 FIFA World Cup squad.
Montréal are in an offseason of change after their best-ever MLS campaign, transferring out defender Alistair Johnston (to Celtic FC), midfielder Djordje Mihailovic (to AZ Alkmaar) and midfielder Ismaël Koné (to Watford FC). Head coach Wilfried Nancy has also departed to lead the Columbus Crew, while captain Victor Wanyama is out of contract.
READ MORE: MLS Transfer Tracker presented by Avant
