COLUMBUS, Ohio — For the first time in Columbus Crew history, a player advanced directly from the Academy to Crew 2 to the First Team.
Taha Habroune, a 17-year-old Columbus native, joined Crew Academy in 2019 before signing with Crew 2 in 2023. The professional academy aims to develop professional players for the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer.
He made 17 appearances with 11 starts, four goals and three assists. He made his debut for the first team in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on May 24, 2023, before being officially signed for the First Team on Jan. 17.
“Taha is the first player to progress directly from the Academy to Crew 2 and now to the First Team, and we fully expect this trend to continue in the future based on the strong environment created by the leadership of Marc Nicholls, Corey Wray, Kelvin Jones, Dan Lock and our entire Crew 2 and Crew Academy coaches and staff,” said Columbus Crew President and General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko.
The team signed Habroune, a Crew 2 midfielder and U.S. Youth International, as a Homegrown Player through the 2027 season with a Club option in 2028.
Habroune will join Keegan Hughes, Aidan Morris and Sean Zawadzki as the four Crew Academy products on the current roster.
“Taha is a talented young player who has continued to improve since joining our Club five years ago. Signing a First Team contract is a testament to his efforts and our Club’s commitment to creating opportunities to advance along our player pathway," Bezbatchenko said.
He is now the 21st Homegrown Player signing in Club history.
