COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Crew has acquired United States Men's National Team midfielder Julian Gressel in a trade with Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
The Crew gets Gressel, 29, in exchange for $550,000 of guaranteed General Allocation Money. Vancouver could also receive up to $300,000 more in GAM over the next three years if certain conditions are met.
Gressel, who entered the league in 2017 and joined the Whitecaps in 2022, has 65 regular-season assists, which is the third-most in Major League Soccer during that time span. Over his nine-year career, he's played 202 regular season matches and recorded double-digit assists in three seasons.
"Throughout his career, Julian has been a versatile, dangerous player with a strong ability to create goals, which has helped his clubs win championships and led him to the U.S. Men's National Team," said President and General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko. "As we continue to push toward becoming a consistent contender in the east, we are constantly evaluating opportunities to strengthen our roster, and adding a player of Julian's caliber and character to our dynamic attack will be impactful as we enter Leagues Cup and the final stretch of the regular season."
Gressel, the 2017 MLS Rookie of the Year, was born in Germany and became a U.S. citizen in 2022. Shortly after, he earned a call-up to the U.S. Men's National Team.
For the Whitecaps this year, Gressel tallied three goals and five assists in 19 MLS matches. He started his American professional career with Atlanta United before being traded in 2020 to D.C. United. In addition to his 65 assists, Gressel has scored 24 goals.
