- The midfielder heads to the Eredivisie
- Will finish the season in Montreal
- Miihailovic has hopes of representing U.S. in Qatar
WHAT HAPPENED? The midfielder will join the Dutch side in January, as he becomes the latest American star to make the leap to Europe.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Mihailovic will finish the rest of the season in Montreal, with the club currently siting second in the Eastern Conference as he also pursues a World Cup roster spot with the USMNT.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
Mihailovic was signed as a homegrown player by the Chicago Fire in 2017 and went on to score seven goals in 76 appearances for the club.
GettyHe was traded to Montreal in 2021 in exchange for $800k in General Allocation Money spread across two years, going on to feature 54 times while earning recognition as team MVP in 2021 after providing a club-record 16 assists.
GettyThe 23-year-old midfielder has earned six caps for the USMNT, scoring his first senior goal against Panama in 2019 before being a member of that year's Gold Cup roster.
GettyWHAT THEY SAID: “This is a very exciting moment for me, but also sad, knowing that I will be leaving CF Montreal,” said Mihailovic. “When I joined this team from Chicago, I didn't expect this kind of reception... Europe has always been my dream and they gave me the chance to pursue this new path in my career. But it's not over yet! This season we have the opportunity to do something special for the Club and the city.”
THE VERDICT: Even if the move doesn't quite help the midfielder's case for the 2022 World Cup, it does allow him to take a well-deserved next step in his career with a move to the Eredivisie, a league that seems to fit his style. Mihailovic is in the mix to be included this fall, and he has been unlucky not to feature for the U.S. this year due to injury issues.
WHAT NEXT? Mihailovic will now look to finish the season strong with one eye on the World Cup, with Montreal's next match set for August 31 against the New York Red Bulls.