HOUSTON (AP) – Texas slugger Juan Gonzalez rejected a trade to the Montreal Expos on Friday, exercising a no-trade clause in his contract three days after the teams agreed to a deal.

Rangers general manager John Hart made a deal Tuesday to send the two-time AL MVP to the Expos for prospects, possibly three, if the 33-year-old outfielder accepted the trade. Montreal general manager Omar Minaya, who has a long history with the slugger, traveled to Texas on Wednesday in hopes of persuading Gonzalez to accept the deal.

But in a statement before Friday night’s game against the Houston Astros, Gonzalez said he would remain with the Rangers. “During my career, I’ve learned a lot,” Gonzalez said. “I signed with Texas as a kid. Texas is a very special place to me. Also, Omar Minaya is a very special person in my life, and I want to thank Montreal and him for their interest. However, I have a no-trade clause and respectfully decline the trade to Montreal.”

Gonzalez, in the last year of his $24 million, two-year deal with Texas, had until Saturday morning to invoke the no-trade clause.

Hart said he was disappointed the deal did not go through.

“This closes the chapter on the trade with Montreal,” Hart said. “Juan is a part of this club and we will go forward. We are disappointed we won’t be able to get some young players, but we knew this possibility existed.”

Gonzalez is hitting .286 with 18 homers and 50 RBIs, but the Rangers have made it clear that he won’t be re-signed after this season because the team is focusing on younger players.

Gonzalez originally signed with the Rangers in 1986 when he was just 16 years old, made his major league debut three years later and became an everyday player in 1991. He was the AL MVP in 1996 and 1998 and then was traded to Detroit in a nine-player deal in November 1999.

During his one season with the Tigers, he rejected a trade to the New York Yankees, and then went to Cleveland as a free agent for one year before returning to Texas.

AP-ES-06-27-03 1847EDT