The Columbus Crew currently has a Daniel Gazdag problem, and there’s no obvious solution.
For the second time in three games to start the 2026 season, Gazdag was not in the starting lineup against the Chicago Fire on Saturday. Unlike the opening game against the Portland Timbers, Gazdag did not come off the bench on Saturday.
Following the 0-0 draw with the Fire, first-year head coach Henrick Rydström, who is still learning about his team and MLS after arriving in late January, was asked about his substitution decision. Despite being in a close match against a conference rival, the Crew’s only change was to substitute midfielder Amar Sejdic for young attacker Hugo Picard in the 73rd minute.
“It’s a lot of like, try to calculate, okay, we do this and that,” Rydström said. “But how we thought about situations on the bench, the coaching staff, we could also have changed and started to play with the back four and put in like Jamal (Thiaré) and to play with two strikers and go for the victory. Maybe I was a little bit safe there because I believe that we controlled it defensively quite well on our own half. And when you change the dynamic, (other things) change. That’s what you look for, but it can go in the wrong direction also. Then player-wise, you want to have Wes (Abou Ali) and you want to have Diego (Rossi). That doesn’t mean that we didn’t have options, but I choose to keep them because I also know the quality they have.”
You may notice that while he mentioned the Black & Gold’s other two Designated Players – Wessam Abou Ali and Diego Rossi – Rydström did not discuss Gazdag as a potential choice.
Rydström elected to start Picard alongside Abou Ali and Rossi in the season-opening 3-2 loss to the Timbers on the road. Gazdag came off the bench in the 82nd minute with the score tied 2-2. In the following match against Sporting Kansas City, Gazdag played from the start, missing a big chance after Rossi hit the post, but was one of two subs made in the 62nd minute.
In the home opener, Rydström adopted a safer strategy after allowing four goals in transition during the first two matches. Columbus played with a back five and, thanks to improved team defending and a couple of impressive saves from goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, recorded the team’s first shutout of the season. Midfielder Taha Habroune started as part of the front three to bring energy and win the ball back, which the 20-year-old did multiple times before shifting to a deeper position when Picard entered the match.
However, the Crew was also shut out for the first time under Rydström, as the more defensive approach resulted in fewer chances. With midfielder Dylan Chambost injured, there was no player to link the defense to the offense. Rossi’s efforts to be that link only meant he was not near the goal when needed, leaving Abou Ali isolated and easy to defend.
Gazdag, a natural No. 10 who scored 59 goals and provided 20 assists over more than four seasons with the Philadelphia Union in a creative role, was not viewed as a viable option, despite Rossi clearly tiring. This reflects Gazdag’s current standing, regardless of his salary or background.
To his credit, Rydström was diplomatic when discussing Gazdag on Wednesday, although it’s clear that the attacker is running out of time to prove he can be the same player in Columbus as he was in Philadelphia.
“I always try to think, how can I help him more? How can I release his potential?” Rydstrom said of Gazdag. “Because we know it’s there. We saw it in Philadelphia. We didn’t see it so much last year. So, I think it’s a combination that he – and I will help him. But at the end of the day, it’s the player’s responsibility to take ownership in the actions. How can he be that player we know he can be? How can he put himself in situations when he gets the opportunity? I think he did a good work against Kansas (City). But I want more offensive contribution from him. And he knows it.”
Rydström is not the first Crew manager to demote a player once regarded as one of the top attacking options in MLS to a bench role. After his trade from the Union last year — when the Black & Gold paid over $4 million for him — Gazdag started 23 matches but only scored four goals and provided four assists. Then-head coach Wilfried Nancy chose not to start the Hungarian for the final five games of the 2025 season, including three important playoff matches against in-state rival FC Cincinnati, despite missing Abou Ali and Rossi during that period.
Anyone who has watched Columbus since the April 11 trade with Philadelphia knows Gazdag has not settled into a role with the Crew. The hope was that a change of coach and tactics would unlock his true potential. However, through three matches this season, that hope has not been realized.
Massive Report understands that the club has not given up on Gazdag yet. Whether that is because there is no clear way to end the struggling relationship – most countries’ transfer windows are closed at the moment and another MLS team is unlikely to make a move for a struggling player unless it is at a major discount – remains unclear. MLS clubs are permitted two buy-outs per season, but doing so would leave the Black & Gold paying Gazdag’s salary while he is unavailable for selection. However, sources Massive Report spoke to admitted that there could be a breaking point with a player who is costing the club a lot to come off – or not – the bench.
An unused substitute in a 0-0 home game doesn’t bode well for Gazdag’s future in Columbus. If things don’t improve by the summer transfer window, the Crew will likely explore other options.
For now, it’s Rydström’s responsibility to maximize the player’s potential and Gazdag’s to keep working toward earning a spot on the field and making an impact in matches. However, the Black & Gold can’t afford for a Designated Player, along with the associated salary, to not contribute significantly if the club wants to remain a serious contender in 2026.
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