The Columbus Crew has finalized a deal with English Championship side Watford that saw them land talented forward Cucho Hernandez. According to reports, Crew paid a club-record $10 million to complete the transfer.

Hernandez reportedly inked a deal that will keep him with Crew throughout the 2025 MLS season. The 23-year-old is expected to make his debut this weekend when Columbus heads to Rio Tinto Stadium to face Real Salt Lake.

Crew president Tim Bezbatchenko issued a statement to confirm the deal and called Hernandez a “world-class” player who is expected to continue developing.

“Cucho is a versatile attacker whose agility, mobility, and unpredictability make him a constant threat for opponents as he has demonstrated while playing against top-level opponents in some of the best leagues in Europe,” Bezbatchenko added.

Cucho Hernandez joined Watford in 2017 but spent most of his time with the club on loans. He mostly played in Spain, where he suited up for Huesca, Mallorca, and Getafe. Hernandez only made his debut in England during the 2021–22 season and ended up making 27 appearances and scoring six goals in all competitions.

Hernandez’s experience playing on the big stage should help Crew bounce back after a slow start to the 2022 campaign. They currently find themselves 11th in Eastern Conference and trail the last playoff spot by three points. 

The post Columbus Crew Set Club Record with $10 Million Swoop for Cucho Hernandez appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After a short-lived stint in Slovakia, veteran Krisztian Nemeth is back in MLS. This time, he’ll suit up for Columbus Crew.

Nemeth’s last MLS stint was with Sporting Kansas City, where he scored nine goals in 33 matches between 2018 and 2019. He left the United States in 2020 following the expiration of his contract, signing a deal with Slovak side FC DAC 1904 Dunajská Streda. The 31-year-old ended up making just one appearance with Streda before parting ways with the club.

Crew jumped on the opportunity to bring in a seasoned MLS veteran, with Nemeth being expected to play an important role for the team as a backup. The Hungarian international is best suited to playing as a central striker but can cover wide positions as well.

Krisztian Nemeth was onבe regarded as a generational talent, having joined Premier League powerhouse Liverpool at 18. However, Nemeth failed to live up to his potential and instead embarked on a journeyman career that saw him playing all across Europe.

Besides SKC, Nemeth also played with New England Revolution. He has 20 goals and 12 assists in 82 career MLS games.

“Krisztian is a seasoned veteran whose international experience will greatly benefit our squad and help increase competition amongst our attacking group,” said Crew’s president and general manager Tim Bezbatchenko. “We want to welcome Krisztian to Columbus – a player who is a proven goal scorer and is familiar with our league, we expect him to quickly integrate into our team. We look forward to his contributions to the club down the stretch this season.”

The post Columbus Crew Sign Veteran Krisztian Nemeth appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Columbus Crew is the latest team to make it to the knockout stage of MLS is Back Tournament. The crew secured the spot on Thursday night thanks to a 2-0 win against New York Red Bulls.

Crew dominated the game, for the most part, getting the lead in the 22’ minute thanks to forward Gyasi Zardes. After ending the first half with a lead, Columbus then immediately scored at the start of the second period. Midfielder Lucas Zelarayán increased the lead to two in the 47’ minute with a powerful and beautifully place shot outside the penalty box.

Red Bulls struggled to answer back, being disappointingly inefficient in front of the goal. They registered seven shots but none of them was on goal.

Columbus is on top of Group E with two wins in two games. Red Bulls and FC Cincinnati have one win and one loss each, while Atlanta United lost both of their games.

The group will be wrapped up on Tuesday when Atlanta plays Crew, and on Wednesday, when Red Bulls and Cincinnati get to head to head for the final knockout stage spot.

Orlando City and Philadelphia Union previously booked their ticket to the next phase of the competition from Group A.

The post Crew Gets 2-0 Win against Red Bulls, Advance to Knockout Stage appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Ever since Wayne Rooney’s arrival at the club in 2018, DC United has become a different club.

After a 0-1 road victory over the Columbus Crew on Thursday night, DC United moved to first place in the MLS’s Eastern Conference, showing that they will be a force to reckon with in the 2019 season.

It should be no surprise that the player who scored the goal to lead United to their win was none other than legendary English forward Wayne Rooney.

The former Manchester United legend scored a picture-perfect free kick goal to put DC on top in the 27th minute of the game.

DC United kept the talented Crew off of the board for the rest of the game and took home a hugely important road victory to move to 5-2-2 on the season.

With 17 points, DC is now first in the standings in the early going of the 2019 season.

Time will tell if United can keep up its hot pace, but their win on Thursday and Rooney’s goal have proven that they will be a force to be reckoned with during this MLS campaign.

The post Wayne Rooney Scores in 0-1 DC United Victory appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Manchester City-bound, US men’s goalkeeper Zack Steffen was voted the U.S. Soccer Federation’s Male Player of the Year for 2018 on Tuesday.

With 44% of the votes, Steffen edged out midfielders Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams, who each received 16% and 38% respectively. Steffen has had a phenomenal year for both his former club Columbus Crew SC and the national team.

He played in six of team USA’s eleven fixtures this year including a 1-1 draw against France in which the 23-year-old heroically saved eight shots. Steffen also kept clean sheets in the wins against Mexico and Paraguay and not to forget the 10 clean sheets he’s had for Columbus Crew this year.

“It’s an honor to be put with those names that have won before me and to have the respect and confidence from teammates, coaches, and staff,” – Steffen said. “I’m thankful for my support system. Without them, I couldn’t have done any of this. It gives me motivation and confidence to keep going and do bigger and better things.”

Steffen is officially the youngest player to ever win the award and only the third goalkeeper since Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel and Tim Howard to lift the award.

The post Goalkeeper Zack Steffen Voted USSF Male Player of the Year 2018 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Columbus Crew and United States international goalkeeper Zack Steffen is close to joining Premier League powerhouse Manchester City. According to ESPN, Steffen is in contract talks with City who would pay between $7 million and $10 million to Crew for the services of the highly talented 23-year-old.

Crew manager and sporting director Gregg Berhalter confirmed that the club received an offer for Steffen but declined to give more information about the matter.

“The club has been approached regarding the potential transfer of goalkeeper Zack Steffen, but no deal has been finalized, and the club will not be commenting on the specifics of reported offers,” – Berhalter told ESPN.

Zack Steffen established himself as one of the best young players in MLS since being named Crew’s starting goalkeeper ahead of 2017 season. He played a total of 63 regular season games in the league since then and managed to keep his goal intact on 22 occasions.

Steffen, who was named 2018 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, also delivered some exciting performances for the United States men’s national team since receiving his international debut in January 2018.

In case that Zack Steffen makes a move to Man City, he would have to receive a work permit to play in England. This might be an issue since Steffen didn’t play enough international games to qualify for one. In case he gets rejected, City might end up loaning him to another club until he fulfills the requirements.

The post Columbus Crew Goalkeeper Zack Steffen Close to Joining Manchester City appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After D.C. United managed to land Everton star Wayne Rooney, it was rumored that Patrick Mullins will have to find playing time somewhere else. This turned out to be true since Mullins left United on Wednesday and joined the Columbus Crew SC, who sent $150,000 in targeted allocation money in exchange.

It’s official! @pmullins14 #CrewSC pic.twitter.com/CC3nEsG6HZ

— Columbus Crew SC (@ColumbusCrewSC) July 12, 2018

Patrick Mullins has played in 10 games for D.C. United in this season, but failed to score a goal while contributing one assist. In the previous two years, however, he scored 13 goals in 34 games (24 starts).

“Patrick is a proven goalscorer who is dangerous inside the box and has a solid track record in MLS in his first five seasons,” – said Columbus head coach and sporting director Gregg Berhalter. “We believe that he brings a valuable skill set that will allow him to add depth to our attack and we look forward to integrating him into the team.“

While Columbus will get a valuable contributor from the bench with Mullins, this transfer will also give United some room to address their roster weaknesses.

“This move will provide us with assets and flexibility for future moves. We wish Mullins the best in Columbus and thank him for his service to the club.” – said D.C. general manager Dave Kasper in a statement.

The post Columbus Crew SC Acquire Patrick Mullins from D.C. United appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After trading Justin Meram to Orlando City, Columbus Crew SC turned to free agent, MLS veteran Ricardo Clark to fill the void. The 34-year old two-time MLS All-Star last played for Houston Dynamo.

NEWS: #CrewSC has signed free agent midfielder Ricardo Clark. Welcome to Columbus, @RicoC13!

https://t.co/9k4Fe5iSLC pic.twitter.com/izD1mqjDAf

— Columbus Crew SC (@ColumbusCrewSC) February 2, 2018

“We are excited Ricardo chose to join our club as a free agent signing this winter,” – said Crew coach Gregg Berhalter about their newest acquisition. “Ricardo brings over a decade of MLS and national team experience to our club, which was one of the youngest in the league last season. He is a consistent winner in MLS and adds important depth in our central midfield as we look to return to the MLS Cup playoffs in the upcoming season.“

Ricardo Clark started his professional career with the MetroStars (now New York Red Bulls) who took him with the second overall pick in the 2003 MLS SuperDraft. After two seasons with MetroStars, Clark briefly played for San Jose Earthquakes before joining Houston Dynamo in 2006. He then decided to try his luck in Europe in 2010, spending two years with Eintracht Frankfurt before returning to Dynamo in 2012. From then to 2017, Clark played in 158 games for the team and scored 21 goals, but the Dynamo declined to extend his contract.

“I’m hungry.” – said, Clark, when talking about his expectations. “Based on last year, it seems that the group is as well. We just want to be successful and that’s the most important thing. It’s not going to be an easy challenge, but I’m ready for it and I think the guys are as well. I’m just looking forward to gelling with the team and help out in whatever capacity it may be. Like I said, I just want to win.“

He was also a member of the USMNT from 2015 to 2012, playing 34 games for the team and scoring 3 goals in the process.

The post Free Agent Midfielder Ricardo Clark Signs with Columbus Crew SC appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Columbus Crew has finalized a deal with English Championship side Watford that saw them land talented forward Cucho Hernandez. According to reports, Crew paid a club-record $10 million to complete the transfer.

Hernandez reportedly inked a deal that will keep him with Crew throughout the 2025 MLS season. The 23-year-old is expected to make his debut this weekend when Columbus heads to Rio Tinto Stadium to face Real Salt Lake.

Crew president Tim Bezbatchenko issued a statement to confirm the deal and called Hernandez a “world-class” player who is expected to continue developing.

“Cucho is a versatile attacker whose agility, mobility, and unpredictability make him a constant threat for opponents as he has demonstrated while playing against top-level opponents in some of the best leagues in Europe,” Bezbatchenko added.

Cucho Hernandez joined Watford in 2017 but spent most of his time with the club on loans. He mostly played in Spain, where he suited up for Huesca, Mallorca, and Getafe. Hernandez only made his debut in England during the 2021–22 season and ended up making 27 appearances and scoring six goals in all competitions.

Hernandez’s experience playing on the big stage should help Crew bounce back after a slow start to the 2022 campaign. They currently find themselves 11th in Eastern Conference and trail the last playoff spot by three points. 

The post Columbus Crew Set Club Record with $10 Million Swoop for Cucho Hernandez appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After a short-lived stint in Slovakia, veteran Krisztian Nemeth is back in MLS. This time, he’ll suit up for Columbus Crew.

Nemeth’s last MLS stint was with Sporting Kansas City, where he scored nine goals in 33 matches between 2018 and 2019. He left the United States in 2020 following the expiration of his contract, signing a deal with Slovak side FC DAC 1904 Dunajská Streda. The 31-year-old ended up making just one appearance with Streda before parting ways with the club.

Crew jumped on the opportunity to bring in a seasoned MLS veteran, with Nemeth being expected to play an important role for the team as a backup. The Hungarian international is best suited to playing as a central striker but can cover wide positions as well.

Krisztian Nemeth was onבe regarded as a generational talent, having joined Premier League powerhouse Liverpool at 18. However, Nemeth failed to live up to his potential and instead embarked on a journeyman career that saw him playing all across Europe.

Besides SKC, Nemeth also played with New England Revolution. He has 20 goals and 12 assists in 82 career MLS games.

“Krisztian is a seasoned veteran whose international experience will greatly benefit our squad and help increase competition amongst our attacking group,” said Crew’s president and general manager Tim Bezbatchenko. “We want to welcome Krisztian to Columbus – a player who is a proven goal scorer and is familiar with our league, we expect him to quickly integrate into our team. We look forward to his contributions to the club down the stretch this season.”

The post Columbus Crew Sign Veteran Krisztian Nemeth appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Columbus Crew is the latest team to make it to the knockout stage of MLS is Back Tournament. The crew secured the spot on Thursday night thanks to a 2-0 win against New York Red Bulls.

Crew dominated the game, for the most part, getting the lead in the 22’ minute thanks to forward Gyasi Zardes. After ending the first half with a lead, Columbus then immediately scored at the start of the second period. Midfielder Lucas Zelarayán increased the lead to two in the 47’ minute with a powerful and beautifully place shot outside the penalty box.

Red Bulls struggled to answer back, being disappointingly inefficient in front of the goal. They registered seven shots but none of them was on goal.

Columbus is on top of Group E with two wins in two games. Red Bulls and FC Cincinnati have one win and one loss each, while Atlanta United lost both of their games.

The group will be wrapped up on Tuesday when Atlanta plays Crew, and on Wednesday, when Red Bulls and Cincinnati get to head to head for the final knockout stage spot.

Orlando City and Philadelphia Union previously booked their ticket to the next phase of the competition from Group A.

The post Crew Gets 2-0 Win against Red Bulls, Advance to Knockout Stage appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Ever since Wayne Rooney’s arrival at the club in 2018, DC United has become a different club.

After a 0-1 road victory over the Columbus Crew on Thursday night, DC United moved to first place in the MLS’s Eastern Conference, showing that they will be a force to reckon with in the 2019 season.

It should be no surprise that the player who scored the goal to lead United to their win was none other than legendary English forward Wayne Rooney.

The former Manchester United legend scored a picture-perfect free kick goal to put DC on top in the 27th minute of the game.

DC United kept the talented Crew off of the board for the rest of the game and took home a hugely important road victory to move to 5-2-2 on the season.

With 17 points, DC is now first in the standings in the early going of the 2019 season.

Time will tell if United can keep up its hot pace, but their win on Thursday and Rooney’s goal have proven that they will be a force to be reckoned with during this MLS campaign.

The post Wayne Rooney Scores in 0-1 DC United Victory appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Manchester City-bound, US men’s goalkeeper Zack Steffen was voted the U.S. Soccer Federation’s Male Player of the Year for 2018 on Tuesday.

With 44% of the votes, Steffen edged out midfielders Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams, who each received 16% and 38% respectively. Steffen has had a phenomenal year for both his former club Columbus Crew SC and the national team.

He played in six of team USA’s eleven fixtures this year including a 1-1 draw against France in which the 23-year-old heroically saved eight shots. Steffen also kept clean sheets in the wins against Mexico and Paraguay and not to forget the 10 clean sheets he’s had for Columbus Crew this year.

“It’s an honor to be put with those names that have won before me and to have the respect and confidence from teammates, coaches, and staff,” – Steffen said. “I’m thankful for my support system. Without them, I couldn’t have done any of this. It gives me motivation and confidence to keep going and do bigger and better things.”

Steffen is officially the youngest player to ever win the award and only the third goalkeeper since Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel and Tim Howard to lift the award.

The post Goalkeeper Zack Steffen Voted USSF Male Player of the Year 2018 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Columbus Crew and United States international goalkeeper Zack Steffen is close to joining Premier League powerhouse Manchester City. According to ESPN, Steffen is in contract talks with City who would pay between $7 million and $10 million to Crew for the services of the highly talented 23-year-old.

Crew manager and sporting director Gregg Berhalter confirmed that the club received an offer for Steffen but declined to give more information about the matter.

“The club has been approached regarding the potential transfer of goalkeeper Zack Steffen, but no deal has been finalized, and the club will not be commenting on the specifics of reported offers,” – Berhalter told ESPN.

Zack Steffen established himself as one of the best young players in MLS since being named Crew’s starting goalkeeper ahead of 2017 season. He played a total of 63 regular season games in the league since then and managed to keep his goal intact on 22 occasions.

Steffen, who was named 2018 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, also delivered some exciting performances for the United States men’s national team since receiving his international debut in January 2018.

In case that Zack Steffen makes a move to Man City, he would have to receive a work permit to play in England. This might be an issue since Steffen didn’t play enough international games to qualify for one. In case he gets rejected, City might end up loaning him to another club until he fulfills the requirements.

The post Columbus Crew Goalkeeper Zack Steffen Close to Joining Manchester City appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After D.C. United managed to land Everton star Wayne Rooney, it was rumored that Patrick Mullins will have to find playing time somewhere else. This turned out to be true since Mullins left United on Wednesday and joined the Columbus Crew SC, who sent $150,000 in targeted allocation money in exchange.

It’s official! @pmullins14 #CrewSC pic.twitter.com/CC3nEsG6HZ

— Columbus Crew SC (@ColumbusCrewSC) July 12, 2018

Patrick Mullins has played in 10 games for D.C. United in this season, but failed to score a goal while contributing one assist. In the previous two years, however, he scored 13 goals in 34 games (24 starts).

“Patrick is a proven goalscorer who is dangerous inside the box and has a solid track record in MLS in his first five seasons,” – said Columbus head coach and sporting director Gregg Berhalter. “We believe that he brings a valuable skill set that will allow him to add depth to our attack and we look forward to integrating him into the team.“

While Columbus will get a valuable contributor from the bench with Mullins, this transfer will also give United some room to address their roster weaknesses.

“This move will provide us with assets and flexibility for future moves. We wish Mullins the best in Columbus and thank him for his service to the club.” – said D.C. general manager Dave Kasper in a statement.

The post Columbus Crew SC Acquire Patrick Mullins from D.C. United appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After trading Justin Meram to Orlando City, Columbus Crew SC turned to free agent, MLS veteran Ricardo Clark to fill the void. The 34-year old two-time MLS All-Star last played for Houston Dynamo.

NEWS: #CrewSC has signed free agent midfielder Ricardo Clark. Welcome to Columbus, @RicoC13!

https://t.co/9k4Fe5iSLC pic.twitter.com/izD1mqjDAf

— Columbus Crew SC (@ColumbusCrewSC) February 2, 2018

“We are excited Ricardo chose to join our club as a free agent signing this winter,” – said Crew coach Gregg Berhalter about their newest acquisition. “Ricardo brings over a decade of MLS and national team experience to our club, which was one of the youngest in the league last season. He is a consistent winner in MLS and adds important depth in our central midfield as we look to return to the MLS Cup playoffs in the upcoming season.“

Ricardo Clark started his professional career with the MetroStars (now New York Red Bulls) who took him with the second overall pick in the 2003 MLS SuperDraft. After two seasons with MetroStars, Clark briefly played for San Jose Earthquakes before joining Houston Dynamo in 2006. He then decided to try his luck in Europe in 2010, spending two years with Eintracht Frankfurt before returning to Dynamo in 2012. From then to 2017, Clark played in 158 games for the team and scored 21 goals, but the Dynamo declined to extend his contract.

“I’m hungry.” – said, Clark, when talking about his expectations. “Based on last year, it seems that the group is as well. We just want to be successful and that’s the most important thing. It’s not going to be an easy challenge, but I’m ready for it and I think the guys are as well. I’m just looking forward to gelling with the team and help out in whatever capacity it may be. Like I said, I just want to win.“

He was also a member of the USMNT from 2015 to 2012, playing 34 games for the team and scoring 3 goals in the process.

The post Free Agent Midfielder Ricardo Clark Signs with Columbus Crew SC appeared first on SportzBonanza.