Overview
- The Crew announced the signing of Spanish midfielder Brais Méndez as a Designated Player on a multi‑year deal that runs through 2028–29 with a club option for 2029–30.
- Méndez will occupy an international roster slot once his International Transfer Certificate and P‑1 visa are completed and the club plans to register him when the MLS summer window opens on July 13.
- He arrives from Real Sociedad after a decade in La Liga and brings Champions League experience plus a recent Copa del Rey title and senior Spain caps.
- The acquisition is part of a midseason overhaul to repair Columbus’s attack after a season‑ending knee injury to Designated Player Wessam Abou Ali and the expected departure of Diego Rossi.
- As a Designated Player Méndez can be signed outside the normal salary budget which raises immediate on‑field expectations and could change Columbus’s lineup and tactics for the post‑World Cup push toward the playoffs.