ALABAMA - Following Columbus Crew legend Lucas Zelarayán's move to Saudi Arabia earlier this season, the club's front office had a huge task in front of them: find a fitting replacement. The Uruguayan midfielder had been instrumental in the Crew's win in its last MLS Cup during the 2020 season, so it was immensely important for the club's hierarchy to find a replacement of the same quality. They did so just after two days of announcing the departure, signing former LAFC player Diego Rossi.
After a successful stint at LAFC and two years in Turkish soccer, expectations were high at Columbus before Rossi's arrival. During his time in Los Angeles, he was second only to Carlos Vela in terms of importance for the team and became the youngest player in league history to win the MLS Golden Boot in 2020.
