According to reports in the last two days from Colombian newspaper El Heraldo and ESPNFC, Colombian striker Fredy Montero is set for a return to MLS and to Cascadia. However, he will not be rejoining the Seattle Sounders, the club for whom he is the all-time leading MLS goal scorer. Instead, Montero is reportedly headed for the Vancouver Whitecaps on a one-year loan deal with an option to buy added on.

Deal near completion

The report in El Heraldo which broke on Sunday claimed that "only a few details are missing" for the transfer, which came hot on the heels of comments from Whitecaps President Bob Lenarduzzi that the club was working "day and night" to sign a new number 9

On Monday, ESPNFC claimed they had multiple confirmations that the deal was done. Assuming it reaches completion, Montero will head back to Cascadia from the Chinese Super League where he plied his trade for the last year with Tianjin Teda.

Montero has MLS pedigree

Montero was a Seattle Sounder from 2009-2012, where he scored 47 goals in addition to having 34 assists over 119 regular season appearances. The Colombian was a fan favorite in the Emerald City before moving to Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon, for whom he appeared 67 times while netting 27 goals.

Montero is a bonafide Seattle legend. (Photo credit: USA Today)

Last season, he was part of the mass exodus to the Chinese Super League, where he scored nine goals but found it somewhat difficult to adjust. With China's new foreign player limit, it isn't hugely surprising Montero may be on the move.

Allocation Order questions remain

If Montero is to return to MLS, the biggest question which must be answered is how Vancouver will circumvent the Allocation Order. Sporting paid Seattle for Montero's rights, making him subject to the Allocation process should he reenter the league. Currently, Vancouver sit fifth in the Allocation Order with Minnesota United top of the pile.

VAVEL Logo
About the author
Liam McMahon
American sports journalist based out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin who has been affiliated with VAVEL for more than a year. Co-editor of the soccer section at VAVEL USA and international football writer at VAVEL UK.