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Pacific FC Transfer Emil Gazdov to CF Montréal for Club-Record Fee
February 28, 2025
by
Pacific Football Club

Reigning CPL Golden Glove winner made pro debut with Tridents at age 16, departs as a top emerging Canadian talent

Langford, BC – Feb. 28, 2025 – Pacific FC of the Canadian Premier League (CPL) today announced the transfer of goalkeeper Emil Gazdov to Major League Soccer (MLS) side CF Montréal for an undisclosed fee.

Gazdov, 21, has emerged as a top young Canadian goalkeeper during his time with Pacific, after signing his first professional contract with the club as a 16-year-old in June 2020.

In little less than five years with the club, the native of North Vancouver made his professional debut, earned the coveted role as the Tridents’ No.1 goalkeeper and established himself as one of the top netminders in the League. Gazdov was the recipient of the 2024 Golden Glove Award last November, which honoured him as the best goalkeeper in the league for that season.

“Identifying and developing young Canadian players is part of our club identity,” said James Merriman, Head Coach, Pacific FC. “I’m proud of Emil I believe he completely deserved this opportunity and is more than ready to take on the next challenge. He has consistently grown as a professional, he’s matured in his work and has all the tools to become a top goalkeeper for our country.”

Gazdov’s transfer to CF Montréal sets a new club record for Pacific. The previous club-record transfer was set when former Tridents striker Alejandro Díaz was dealt to Norwegian side Sogndal Fotball in August 2022.

Known affectionately on Vancouver Island as the Great Wall of Gazdov, the six-foot-five netminder made 49 appearances in all competitions for Pacific, while also earning valuable additional experience during a loan stint with Germany’s FC Nürnberg of the 2. Bundesliga in 2020. Gazdov made his professional debut in a 2-1 victory at Valour FC in Canadian Premier League on July 30, 2022 and earned his first clean sheet in a 1-0 shut out of B.C. rival Vancouver FC in April 2023. He went on to earn 15 overall clean sheets during his time with Pacific.

As he gained professional experience, Gazdov’s reputation as a top up-and-coming goalkeeping talent in Canada continued to grow. He raised eyebrows in the first leg of Pacific’s 2024 TELUS Canadian Championship semi-final against MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps FC with timely shot-stopping that kept the side in a close competition. His standout performances continued in CPL play, as Gazdov kept seven clean sheets in 21 appearances for Pacific in 2024 and conceded fewer than one goal a game per 90 minutes, which ranked second among CPL goalkeepers with at least 10 starts. 
The winner of the League’s 2024 Golden Glove Award, Gazdov was also a finalist for the CPL’s Best Canadian U-21 Player Award last season.
“I would like to thank everyone involved with Pacific, including my teammates, coaches, the staff and our fans, for the support over the past five years,” said Gazdov. “I joined the club as a 16-year-old kid with no experience in the professional game. I leave with a solid foundation and extensive professional experience for my age, which I would not have gained without Pacific and the CPL. I’m excited for this next chapter in my career, but I will never forget the role this club played in getting me here.”
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ABOUT PACIFIC FOOTBALL CLUB
Founded in 2018, Pacific Football Club brings professional football to Vancouver Island. Playing out of Starlight Stadium in Langford, the club provides an outlet for Canadian soccer players to compete at the professional level of the sport on home soil through the Canadian Premier League.