The Columbus Crew made an unexpected summer addition to the squad with the acquisition of wing back Julian Gressel from the Vancouver Whitecaps. The trade was initially reported by The Athletic’s Tom Bogert on Thursday and later confirmed by Massive Report.

On Friday afternoon, the Black & Gold officially announced the trade details. Columbus will send $550,000 of guaranteed General Allocation Money to Vancouver, with $275,000 to be received in 2023 and the remaining $275,000 in 2024. Additionally, the Whitecaps could potentially receive up to an extra $300,000 in GAM spread out between 2024 and 2026, depending on conditional terms specified in the agreement. One of these terms, Massive Report learned, is whether Gressel, who is in the final year of his current deal and wanted to return closer to home, signs a contract with the Crew beyond the 2023 season, as he is currently in the final year of his MLS contract.

Gressel, 29, is a highly experienced player with a background in Germany as well as extensive experience in MLS. Throughout his MLS career, which includes stints with Atlanta United, D.C. United and Vancouver, he has played 202 games, scored 25 goals, and provided 65 assists. Notably, his 65 assists rank third in MLS since he joined the league in 2017, following Nicolas Lodeiro (Seattle Sounders) with 70 assists and Maxi Moralez (former New York City FC midfielder) with 69.

Gressel’s addition brings significant experience to the Black & Gold, as he has been part of championship-winning teams, securing an MLS Cup, a U.S. Open Cup and a Canadian Championship in his career.

“Throughout his career, Julian has been a versatile, dangerous player with a strong ability to create goals and assists, which has helped his clubs win championships and led him to the U.S. Men’s National Team,” Columbus president and general manager Tim Bezbatchenko said in the release announcing the trade. “As we continue to push toward becoming a consistent contender in the east, we are constantly evaluating opportunities to strengthen our roster, and adding a player of Julian’s caliber and character to our dynamic attack will be impactful as we enter Leagues Cup and the final stretch of the regular season.”

Gressel’s journey to the MLS began in Germany, where he played in the lower leagues before moving to the United States to play four years of college soccer at Providence where he was a Hermann Trophy semifinals as a senior. He was subsequently selected in the first round of the 2017 MLS SuperDraft by Atlanta United, where he made an immediate impact with the expansion side and earned the 2017 MLS Rookie of the Year award. After successful spells with Atlanta and D.C., where he made 66 starts in 73 games played and scored four goals and managed 23 assists, Gressel joined the Whitecaps in 2021, where he continued to showcase his talent and ability.

The trade comes at an exciting time for Gressel, who recently became a U.S. citizen and received his first international call-up to the U.S. Men’s National Team in January where he made his debut alongside Crew midfielder Aidan Morris in a 2-1 loss to Serbia. He was also part of the USMNT roster for the 2023 Gold Cup.

With this acquisition, the Black & Gold adds a talented and experienced player to their roster, providing a boost ahead of their upcoming Leagues Cup campaign and MLS competition.

The Crew will kick off the team’s Leagues Cup campaign against St. Louis CITY FC on Sunday. Columbus returns to MLS play against rivals FC Cincinnati on Aug. 20.