TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Extension
CF Montréal have signed defender Joel Waterman to a new contract through the 2024 MLS season with an option for 2025, the club announced Thursday.
Waterman first joined Montréal in 2020 from Canadian Premier League side Cavalry FC. Now in his fourth season with the club, the 27-year-old has logged 5,255 regular-season minutes and tallied 3g/8a, locking down a starting spot in CFMTL's three-man center back formation in 2022.
“We are very happy to reward Joel with this new contract,” said CF Montréal vice-president and chief sporting officer Olivier Renard in a release. “Since his arrival with us, he has done nothing but progress. We hope this new deal will help him reach further milestones in his development.”
Beyond a successful 2022 that saw Montréal achieve their best-ever points total in MLS (65), Waterman helped the club lift the Canadian Championship in 2021, playing all 90 minutes in a 1-0 final win over Toronto FC.
“I’m really excited to be signing a new deal with the club who believed in me from the beginning. I have enjoyed the last three years here and will continue to do so,” added Waterman.
“As for my role, it’s the same as what I set out coming into the league and that is to improve every day, both personally and with the team.
Internationally, Waterman gained his first two caps with the Canadian men's national team in November before earning selection to the country's 26-man-roster for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
After a busy offseason that saw the departure of key players Djordje Mihailovic, Kei Kamara and Joaquín Torres, among others, Montréal have struggled out of the gate in 2023, losing their first three matches before righting the ship with a 3-2 comeback victory over the Philadelphia Union.
The club have a bye for Matchday 5 but will look to keep the momentum going when they return to action April 1st at Vancouver Whitecaps FC (10:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass).
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