COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Crew on Monday announced the permanent transfer of star midfielder Lucas Zelarayán to Al Fateh of the Saudi Pro League for an undisclosed fee.
In more than three Major League Soccer seasons with the Crew, the dynamic Zelarayán scored 38 goals and registered 30 assists in the regular season (42 goals and 37 assists in all competitions, including the MLS Cup Playoffs). This season, he was the Crew's leading scorer with 10 goals and was generally considered to be the club's best, most important player on the pitch.
A mainstay in the lineup, he played in 97 regular season matches after joining from Liga MX's Tigres UANL prior to the 2020 season. That year, the Crew won MLS Cup with Zelarayán being named MLS Cup Most Valuable Player after scoring twice and assisting once in the team's 3-0 victory over Seattle. He was also an important player for the squad as it claimed its first Campeones Cup in 2021.
"We greatly appreciate everything Lucas has done for the Crew, including his efforts to help us win the MLS Cup, the many memorable moments and goals, and his dedication to the Club and our supporters," Crew President and General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko said. "When we signed Lucas, we knew he would make an immediate impact on our team, our club and our city, and we thank him for being a key contributor to the Club's recent success and helping launch this new era of the Crew."
Bezbatchenko added that, despite dealing one of its best players, he is confident in the Crew's "leadership, direction and personnel."
"This transfer is beneficial for both the Crew and the player, and it provides us with additional resources and opportunities as we approach the close of the secondary (transfer) window and plan for the future as we look to remain consistently competitive," Bezbatchenko said.
Zelarayán, who was a Designated Player for the Crew, is a two-time MLS All Star (2021, 2023). He represents Armenia internationally.
