What happened: The Columbus Crew have acquired $50,000 in 2026 General Allocation Money from St. Louis CITY SC in exchange for the loan of midfielder Zach Zengue through the remainder of the 2026 MLS season. Zengue moves to St. Louis on loan while Columbus adds to its allocation money pool.

Why it matters: General Allocation Money gives the Crew added flexibility for future roster moves, including salary cap management and new player additions. The deal follows a string of allocation-money and depth-piece trades across MLS this offseason as clubs retool ahead of the season.

What to watch: Zengue's role with St. Louis City SC through the rest of 2026 and how Columbus deploys the added GAM will be worth tracking as the season progresses.