What happened: Columbus exercised a buyout of Gazdag's guaranteed contract in the Aug. 28 transaction. The midfielder joined the Crew from the Philadelphia Union on April 11, 2025. He remained in the rotation as an Aug. 20 substitute.
Why it matters: The departure clears a Designated Player slot for another premium roster addition. It ends a two-season investment that began with a $4 million guaranteed transfer fee.
By the numbers: Gazdag averaged 0.28 goal contributions per regular-season appearance for Columbus, producing 12 across 43 games.
What to watch: Columbus' use of the open Designated Player slot and Gazdag's next contract are the next developments to watch.