The Columbus Crew is finalizing a deal that will buy out Designated Player Daniel Gazdag’s contract. Sources close to the club confirmed Tom Bogert’s initial reporting that Gazdag will depart the club. Bogert reported Gazdag will sign with the New England Revolution.

This decision to buy out Gazdag is not being done in isolation. The Crew continues to work to sign another Designated Player. Sources confirmed to Massive Report that the club’s primary target is attacker Santiago Rodríguez, who played four seasons with New York City FC from 2021 to 2024 before moving to Botafogo.

Columbus is working with MLS and Botafogo on this transfer, and club sources told Massive Report that there is a belief a deal will get done to add the Uruguayan attacker to the roster before the summer transfer window closes on Sept. 2.

Acquiring Rodríguez, who scored 24 goals and added 32 assists in 112 MLS games, has been described to Massive Report as “complicated” by sources familiar with the situation. Botafogo has financial issues that have led to the Brazilian club failing to make transfer payments, including the money owed to NYCFC for Rodríguez.

Gazdag joined the Black & Gold as a DP in April 2025 from the Philadelphia Union in a deal worth $4 million. Gazdag at that time became the Crew’s third DP, along with Wessam Abou Ali, who has since been sidelined with a season-ending injury, and Diego Rossi, who joined Monterrey CF in July 2026. The Black & Gold recently signed Brais Méndez to a DP deal in July 2026.

A midseason signing for then-head coach Wilfried Nancy, Gazdag has played under three Crew managers, with Nancy departing for Celtic FC in December 2025, Henrik Rydström taking charge of the Black & Gold at the start of the 2026 season, and Laurent Courtois now at the helm.

The Hungarian international attacker arrived in Columbus to great fanfare, having enjoyed a strong tenure in Philadelphia since 2021, where he scored 72 goals and provided 25 assists across 161 matches in all competitions. In 2022, Gazdag scored in the Union’s defeat to LAFC in the MLS Cup Final and was named to the MLS Best XI. In April 2024, he became the Union’s all-time leading goal scorer.

With the Black & Gold, Gazdag took time to adjust to Nancy’s system. He registered his first goal contribution for the Crew in his tenth appearance, providing an assist for Rossi in a 2-1 win over the Whitecaps, before scoring his first goal a month later against D.C. United from the penalty spot. His first season with the Black & Gold culminated in four goals and three assists across 32 matches, as the Black & Gold bowed out of the MLS Playoffs against FC Cincinnati.

Under Rydström, Gazdag faced a reduced starting role. He appeared off the bench in the 82nd minute of the season-opening 3-2 loss against the Portland Timbers, and started the next match, a draw against Sporting KC, before being benched for the next four matches. He received more minutes following Abou Ali’s injury and has scored four goals in 17 appearances in all competitions this season.

The Crew faces the Revolution on Sunday, a game moved from its original Saturday night slot following the Leagues Cup quarterfinal on Wednesday.