The Crew are finalizing a deal to sign forward Nariman Akhundzade to a U22 initiative contract, a source has confirmed.
Akhundzade, 21, has played in his native Azerbaijan since starting a professional career in 2022 with Qarabag FK. He has recorded 21 goals over three seasons.
In 2023, Akhundzade joined the senior national team after having previously played internationally at the U19 and U21 levels. He has yet to score a goal in 13 games with Azerbaijan’s senior team.
Each MLS club is allowed to have three U22 initiative players on its roster. Forward Ibrahim Aliyu and midfielder Hugo Picard are the Crew’s other U22 initiative players.
A U22 initiative player can be signed at a reduced budget charge, which is the amount of a player’s salary and transfer fee that counts against the club’s salary cap.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Crew to sign final U22 initiative player Nariman Akhundzade
Reporting by Brianna Mac Kay, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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