LA Galaxy trade rising USMNT defender and 2024 MLS Cup champion Jalen Neal to CF Montreal

2024 MLS Cup champions LA Galaxy are set to trade U.S. international and rising defensive prospect Jalen Neal to CF Montreal. The 21-year-old has represented the senior USMNT six times and is widely regarded as one of the top domestic central defenders within the league.

He was a homegrown player for LA and made 46 appearances for the club since signing a professional contract in 2021 that was a five-year deal. The Galaxy acquired $450,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM), $200,000 in 2026 GAM and a 2025 International Roster Slot from CF Montréal in exchange for Neal. The Galaxy will also retain a sell-on percentage of the transfer fee if Neal is sold to another club.

GiveMeSport reported Neal is expected to sign a new contract with CF Montreal.

Neal was called up to Marko Mitrovic's June U.S. men's national team training camp ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics after being a major part of their Concacaf U-20 Championship victory that saw them qualify for the competition -- where he scored one goal in five matches. However, he was not selected for the final roster and missed out on the Olympics as a result.

Four of his six senior USMNT caps have come as starts, with his big break arriving at the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Featuring on a largely B-squad roster, he started two group-stage matches and played a key role in the U.S.'s dramatic quarterfinal victory over Canada.

In Montreal, he’ll join a rebuilding project as the club overhauls its roster ahead of the 2025 season. Former U.S. youth international Caden Clark, traded from Minnesota United in August, will reunite with him in Canada after the duo played together on the U.S. U-20 squad in 2022.

Across parts of 2023 into 2024, Neal missed 321 days of action due to Sports Hernia and Adductor injuries that forced him to undergo multiple surgeries. However, he returned to full fitness in 2024 and helped the Galaxy finish second in the West, making 14 starts. Neal didn't feature much in the playoffs, where the team won the Cup, playing just 12 minutes in five postseason matches.

“Jalen exemplifies what it means to be an LA Galaxy Academy graduate, both as a professional and as a person,” said LA Galaxy General Manager Will Kuntz in a statement. “His progression from the Academy, to Galaxy II, to debuting with the Senior U.S. Men’s National Team, to being on the field for the final whistle of the MLS Cup final, speaks volumes to the potential of the Galaxy’s professional development pathway. But Jalen’s devotion to his local community and active engagement in service at such a young age is an even greater testament to the special character and human being that he is. We are indescribably proud of everything that Jalen has done for the Galaxy and for Los Angeles and wish him the greatest success as he takes the next step in his already remarkable career.”

“We are very excited to welcome a promising young defender to Montreal,” CFMTL president and CEO Gabriel Gervais said. “Jalen fits the profile of the modern defender we wanted to add to our squad, being technically talented, quick and versatile.

"Despite his young age, he already has significant MLS and international experience. We are convinced that he will help us improve our defense this season and for the future.”

In 2023, Neal was named 14th in MLS' 22-Under-22 rankings in 2023, and in 2024, moved up to No. 9 in the ranking. He was the highest-ranked defender in the poll, landing above Inter Miami's rising Argentine defender Tomas Aviles.

Players will report for MLS preseason next week, with Neal relocating to Canada ahead of the 2025 campaign. The 21-year-old is also a player to watch for Mauricio Pochettino's January camp roster, which is set to be released early this week.