On Monday night, the Columbus Crew made one of the biggest outgoing transfers of the Major League Soccer offseason, selling star forward Cucho Hernandez to Real Betis of Spain’s La Liga. The transfer fee – between $15-16 million up front with a sell-on clause – is believed to be a club record.

Hernandez became a star in Columbus in his two-and-a-half seasons with the Black & Gold. The forward scored 44 goals and added 28 assists in 70 MLS games while averaging one goal involvement – a goal or an assist – in his eight postseason appearances. He was the 2023 MLS Cup Most Valuable Player and the 2024 Leagues Cup MVP. Most importantly, Hernandez helped bring trophies to the Crew, winning the 2023 MLS Cup and the 2024 Leagues Cup, as well as a 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup Final appearance.

Yet with that success comes interest from other clubs, specifically abroad. Hernandez had an inconsistent first stint in Europe, playing 25 times for Watford while scoring five goals and going on loan on three occasions in five years.

When Hernandez arrived in Columbus in June 2022, he hoped to prove his talents, with an eye on playing for his native Colombia and, potentially, getting back to the European top flight. Massive Report understands that these were part of the conversations Hernandez had with the club during negotiations, meaning that if he performed well and the club received the right offer, the Crew would not stand in Hernandez’s way of furthering his career ambitions.

Rumors of a Hernandez exit have been floating since he scored nine goals and had three assists in the second half of the 2022 season after arriving in MLS. Some in the OhioHealth Performance Center believed a suitable offer would come following a 16-goal, 11-assist campaign under new head coach Wilfried Nancy in 2023.

While interest in Hernandez was there, that suitable offer did not come. Hernandez returned for the 2024 season and set career highs in goals (19) and assists (11). While the Black & Gold were eliminated in the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs – after reaching the Champions Cup, Leagues Cup and Campeones Cup finals – by the New York Red Bulls, Hernandez was the runner-up for the league’s MVP award.

Interest remained in Hernandez heading into the 2025 MLS offseason. Teams had inquired about the Columbus forward, and rumors again began circulating regarding an MLS exit. But it wasn’t until nearer the end of the European winter window that Betis came to the table with an offer that worked for all involved parties.

While Nancy, Hernandez and the Crew’s 2025 roster prepared to depart for the third and final stage of preseason this week, talks intensified. Betis reportedly wanted a backup striker to leading goal scorer Giovani Lo Celso and believed Hernandez was the man for the job, potentially working his way into a more significant role. The Black & Gold believed the record fee received was appropriate.

Of course, this move did not happen without Hernandez’s approval – the forward had to sign a contract with Betis after all. According to sources close to the club, the forward had not given up on his ambitions beyond MLS. While he voiced his love and appreciation for Columbus, Central Ohio and Major League Soccer are far from the pinnacle of the football world. As one source told Massive Report, “What else was he going to say?”

Additionally, general manager Issa Tall has said there were offers from teams other than Betis, some slightly more lucrative. But Massive Report has learned that those did not make as much sense from Hernandez’s perspective.

In the hours since Hernandez’s transfer was announced, fans have voiced their frustration at both the compensation the Black & Gold received for Hernandez and the timing.

Reports earlier this offseason indicated that teams were looking to pay upwards of $20 million for Hernandez. Those reports were false. Sources close to the club told Massive Report that while the club could have potentially accepted a higher transfer fee than the one received from Betis, Columbus never received an offer close to that reported amount for the forward.

Betis was not going to overpay for a talented player but one who may only ever be a reserve, who – despite his success in MLS – did not thrive during his first stint in Europe. Betis is a mid-table La Liga club that has only paid more than $20 million on three players in the club’s history.

This deal also ranks in the top 10 in MLS transfer fees received all time. While Crew fans may argue it should have been closer to the top five or top three to depart with a perennial MVP candidate, the market sets the price, and Black & Gold believes this is the right deal to accept for the club and the player.

As for the timing, there’s no sugarcoating it. This is not ideal. The 2025 MLS season begins in less than three weeks, and Columbus is now without its top goal scorer for the last two seasons. The Crew was amid a championship window, and Hernandez was essential to extending that window as long as possible.

But the Black & Gold don’t believe that window has closed after this move. While Columbus doesn’t have a lethal goal scorer on the roster who can pull a finish out of thin air, Nancy’s teams are built on the collective. The Crew believes this team can still achieve plenty by being a team. There are still stars on the roster, including midfielder Darlington Nagbe, defender Steven Moreira and forward Diego Rossi, who has scored 15 goals in a season and a half back in MLS and was the Black & Gold’s leading scorer in the Champions Cup and Leagues Cup last season. There are young players the club is excited about, including wing back Max Arfsten, midfielder Taha Habroune and forward Jacen Russell-Rowe.

While these names may not generate the same excitement as one star player, Columbus is confident that the group will continue to be competitive.

And then there’s the summer transfer window, where the Crew has typically done most of its major transfer business. While there is still time for the Black & Gold to make a move before the MLS window closes on April 23, Columbus’ front office isn’t going to add any player just for the sake of doing so. The Crew has a proven track record of replacing stars – Lucas Zelarayan departed in 2023 only for Rossi to arrive shortly after – but wants to ensure the club brings in the right player with the money available.

With most European transfer windows closed/closing this week and other countries following suit in the weeks/month to come, summer could be the best option for adding a new star – like when Hernandez arrived in Columbus – after evaluating the current roster through the first four months of the season.

Losing a star player is never easy for any team in any sport. Oftentimes, the breakup is messy and the aftermath is a struggle. Hernandez leaves the Crew as an all-time great player who will always hold the cub in his heart. The Black & Gold believe they have a roster that can continue to compete while adding resources to enhance when the right opportunity becomes available.