Toronto FC is the only Canadian-based club in the MLS. The Impact plays in the First Division of the United Soccer Leagues.
"We want to be at the highest level possible and MLS is the highest level possible in North America," Saputo said yesterday at a news conference to unveil the qualifying details for the CONCACAF Champions League. "I guess it's not necessarily if it can happen, but when it can happen.
"We're not going to hide the fact that we have been speaking to MLS and if the opportunity for Montreal to go to that league happens, then we'll be ready for it."
The new Stade Saputo in Montreal seats 13,000, but has been built so capacity could be expanded to 20,000.
Given the go-ahead, a Montreal team could be ready to compete in MLS as soon as 2009, Saputo said. "But we don't make that decision, the league makes that decision as far as when the next expansion is going to be."
As for teaming with Gillett, Saputo said: "Obviously, you try to put all the positives on your side. With the knowledge ... Gillett Entertainment Group has with Liverpool [the English Premier League team] and with the running of stadium operations, you try to put all the positives on your side.
"If we could get the two families together, the Saputo family and the Gillett family, working in order to develop soccer in Canada and the province of Quebec, why not? They're excited about it, we're excited about it. The next step is to try to get MLS excited about it."
According to a report, the two would split the $30-million MLS franchise fee, as well as the $12-million it would cost to expand Stade Saputo to 20,000 seats. The privately financed facility is near Olympic Stadium and will open in May.
Gillett became majority owner of the Canadiens in 2001. In 2007, he teamed with Dallas Stars owner Tom Hicks to purchase Liverpool of the EPL and is also the majority owner of the Gillett Evernham NASCAR team.
The Saputo family founded and head the Montreal-based dairy-processing giant Saputo Inc.
