Columbus Crew fans might want to buckle up: the club is in advanced talks to ship star forward Diego Rossi to Mexican powerhouse CF Monterrey, according to multiple reports. If it goes through, the deal would strip the Crew of one of their top attacking threats and force a midseason rethink of the roster.
Deal Details
According to The Columbus Dispatch, Columbus is finalizing a transfer that could net the club up to $8 million. The outlet reports that terms are still being nailed down and that any agreement remains contingent on medicals and paperwork before either team can make it official.
Who Is Diego Rossi?
Diego Rossi, 28, joined Columbus in 2023 after previous stops with Los Angeles FC and Turkish side Fenerbahçe, and he remains one of MLS’s most recognizable forwards. MLSsoccer notes that he captured the 2020 MLS Golden Boot and earned MLS All-Star nods in both 2024 and 2025.
Numbers On The Pitch
Rossi led the Crew with 16 goals last season, according to club scoring lists on Transfermarkt. This season he has added six goals in league play as Columbus works through the first half of its campaign, a tally listed by TransferFeed.
Roster And Financial Impact
If the transfer goes through, Columbus would free up a Designated Player slot and pocket a sizable fee to reinvest during the summer window. The timing is tricky. The Crew’s forward depth already took a major hit when Wessam Abou Ali suffered a season-ending ACL and meniscus injury in April, a status outlined by MLSsoccer.
Even so, the club’s year-end roster note shows that both Rossi and Abou Ali are under contract through 2026, a setup that gives Columbus some leverage to work with any incoming transfer fee and newly opened roster space, as per Columbus Crew.
Monterrey Interest And Timeline
South of the border, Monterrey appears to be pushing hard. Mexican reports say CF Monterrey has been aggressive in its pursuit of Rossi and that the forward could travel to Monterrey this week for medicals and final paperwork. AS Mexico and Posta MX report that the club is lining up the signing as coach Matías Almeyda retools the attack ahead of the Apertura 2026.
For now, the move remains in the reporting stage and, as noted by the Dispatch, still needs the usual medical checks and paperwork before any formal announcement. This story is not quite over the line yet, and we will update this space once the clubs release official confirmations and contract details.
