Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

CF Montreal signed 19-year-old defender Fernando Alvarez on a permanent transfer from Liga MX side C.F. Pachuca.

The MLS club announced Friday that Alvarez agreed to a three-year deal through the 2025 season, with options for 2026 and 2027.

"We are delighted to welcome Fernando to the Club," said chief sporting officer Olivier Renard. "He is a player who stood out this summer at the U20 World Cup in Argentina as one of the tournament's best central defenders. In addition to the advantage of his American citizenship, he has a solid physical frame with the ability to quickly restart play."

Born in the U.S. to Colombian and Mexican parents, Alvarez made his first-team debut with Pachuca in 2021.

Internationally, he is eligible to represent the U.S., Colombia and Mexico. Alvarez previously was called up to Mexico's U16 and U18 teams, as well as Colombia's U20 side with whom he played with at the U20 World Cup and the South American U20 Championship in 2023.

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