The most significant Quebec transfers
Following Maxime Crépeau’s transaction, a question was asked to me on Twitter: « Is this a record for a Quebec player? »
The answer is no. Here is a list of some of the most notable Quebec transfers:
Olivier Occéan – $1,600,000 – Greuther Furth D2 to Eintracht Frankfurt (Bundesliga) – 2012
Unknown to the general public in Quebec, Olivier Occéan, a native of Brossard, reached the heights of the Bundesliga long before a certain Alphonso Davies. After a stay in Norway for several years, he takes a sporting bet towards Germany by going to evolve in the 3rd division, to then climb in the 2nd division.
One day in July 2012, he became the first Quebecer to play in the German league after a 1.3 million euro transfer from Greuther Furth to Eintracht Frankfurt.
Maxime Crépeau – $1,257,000 – Vancouver to LAFC – 2022
The goalkeeper from the CF MTL Academy had great individual success during his stay in British Columbia. Twice chosen player of the year, became captain of the Whitecaps and one of the architects of access to the playoffs in 2021, he has risen among the best goalkeepers in the league.
Los Angeles FC has been busy securing his services, making him the most expensive acquisition for a goalkeeper in MLS.
Ballou Tabla – Undetermined amount – Montreal Impact to FC Barcelona – 2017
Ballou Tabla became the first Montreal Impact Academy product to be sold in Europe, with Barcelona snapping up the 18-year-old with a €25m release clause.
The transfer fee was never disclosed but experts say it was in the seven figures.
Sandro Grande – $587,000 – Frosinone Serie D at Brescia Serie A – 2001
Before making the heyday of the Impact from 2004-2005 to 2008-2009, the midfielder had charmed the Brescia club, which offered his services for 800,000 Italian lire in 2001. At the same time, he became the first Quebecer to head for the Italian championship, considered the best in the world at that time.
The native of Saint-Léonard put on his crampons alongside the big stars of the moment: Roberto Baggio and a certain Pep Guardiola.
Ali Gerba – $476,000 – GIF Sundsvall to IFK Gothenburg – 2005
Before Jonathan David and Cyle Larin, Montrealer Ali Gerba was once the most effective striker with 15 goals in 31 appearances for Canada.
The potential striker was transferred by the Impact to Sweden in 2005 to the GIF Sundsvall club and quickly made an impression in Allsvenskan (Swedish division 1) to the point that he was sold a few months later to the prestigious Swedish club IFK Gothenburg for a few million Swedish crowns.
Alex Bunbury – $100,000 – West Ham United (English D2) to CS Maritimo – 1993
The former Montreal Supra color holder, before the Impact was born, had a great career in a more discreet time for Canadian players and especially from Quebec.
He played his amateur soccer in Saint-Léonard. The Canadian Soccer Hall of Famer decided to leave West Ham United in 1993, having had insufficient playing time, to head to Portugal and the Maritimo club. He will become the best scorer in the history of Maritimo and, according to him, the idol of youth of a certain Cristiano Ronaldo.
Patrice Bernier – $98,000 – Moss FK D2 to Tromso Tippeliga – 2004
Your humble soccer servant was also part of this economic world of the transfer market. In the summer of 2004, the club from Tromso IL took out the checkbook for my playing rights from Moss FK, a club which played in the Norwegian second division.
A year later, my fate could have changed, but the Norwegian club refused the offer from Besiktas Istanbul.
Samuel Piette – $75,000 – CD Izarra to Impact – 2017
For those who remember, Samuel Piette arrived in Montreal through a trade after the 2017 Gold Cup.
The defensive midfielder of CF MTL rolled his bump in Spain before returning to the fold.
Note that this list does not include all transactions involving a Quebec player. The emergence of the Canadian team on the international scene, the evolution of the MLS trading market and the arrival of the CPL may change this list over time.
