Montreal Impact's Alejandro Silva, right, challenges Columbus Crew SC's Wil Trapp during second-half MLS soccer action in Montreal on Oct. 6, 2018.Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press
The Montreal Impact has transferred Uruguayan midfielder Alejandro Silva to Paraguayan side Club Olimpia.
The Major League Soccer team said the transfer sum was in excess of US$4-million and represents the largest such transaction in club history.
Silva joined the Impact in March, scoring five goals and registering 11 assists in 31 regular-season games, including 27 starts.
He also scored one goal in two Canadian Championship games.
“I thank Alejandro for his important contribution this past season,” Impact head coach Rémi Garde said in a statement. “His daily professionalism and his desire to win greatly helped the team progress. He was very keen to take a new sporting opportunity that would also allow him to be closer to his family. I wish him a lot of success in the future.”
Silva had previously played with Club Olimpia on two occasions during his career, helping the team reach the Copa Libertadores final in 2013.
Silva made US$800,040 in 2018. Only defender Rod Fanni (US$1.225-million) and midfielder Ignacio Piatti (US$4.71-million) made more for the Impact this past season.
The Impact used targeted allocation money to acquire the attacking midfielder in March from Argentina’s CA Lanus.
The 29-year-old Uruguayan international helped Olimpia (in 2013) and Lanus (in 2017) reach the final of the Copa Libertadores tournament.
Silva started his career with hometown club Centro Atletico Fenix in Montevideo, playing three seasons in the Uruguayan first division from 2009-10 to 2011-12. He then played two seasons with Olimpia, scoring nine goals in 45 games, including 38 starts, in 2012 and 2013, before leaving for Argentina.
He also played a season on loan with Uruguayan club Penarol, in 2014-15, and returned on loan with Olimpia for the 2015-16 season.