The Columbus Crew, steadfast in their pursuit of bolstering their roster, are on the verge of acquiring Philadelphia Union's preeminent goal scorer, Daniel Gazdag, as ABC 6 and multiple media outlets reported yesterday. The Hungarian midfielder bagged 17 goals last season, solidifying his place as a prolific contributor to the Union's offensive force. Kellyanne Stitts of ABC 6 broke the news on her social media, citing MLS insider Tom Bogert as the source.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the exact return Philadelphia will garner from the transaction, Gazdag's offensive production extends beyond just the previous season, accumulating 59 goals and 20 assists over his 125-appearance career with the Union—all but 10 of these appearances being starts—since hopping over from Hungary's Honved, noted a report from Reuters. Gazdag also peppered his resume with a spot on the MLS Best XI roster in 2022, while this season, he has notched two goals and a pair of assists in six matches, the Hungarian midfielder's last guaranteed year under contract, though Philadelphia maintains an option for 2026.
In a move facilitated by MLS's fresh Cash for Players trade mechanism, the Crew seems to have found their answer to fill the void left by Cucho Hernandez's off-season switch to Real Betis, GIVEMESPORT informed their readers; Hernandez was a prime source of goals for the team, the same critical component Gazdag is expected to replace after leaving an indelible mark with his 29 international caps for Hungary and at least 14 goals in each of the last three MLS seasons.
Remaining unbeaten alongside Lionel Messi's Inter Miami through Matchday 7 of the season, Columbus Crew's roster is notably enriched by Gazdag joining as a Designated Player, aligning with Diego Rossi and Darlington Nagbe—the Hungarian's presence, thereby fortifying an already surging team that's off to a surprising 4-0-3 start, currently leading atop the Eastern Conference, their next match scheduled for Sunday against St. Louis City SC, the Crew aims to maintain their forward momentum as they continue to navigate an ever-evolving MLS landscape.
.jpg){kind=link}