Crew acquire Jamal Thiare, transfer Jacen Russell-Rowe

Field Level Media
02 Feb 2026, 22:35 GMT+10

(Photo credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images)

The Columbus Crew acquired Jamal Thiare from Atlanta United and transferred fellow forward Jacen Russell-Rowe to France's Toulouse FC on Monday.

Thiare arrives from Atlanta in exchange for $200,000 in 2026 general allocation money and up to $100,000 more in conditional GAM for 2027.

The 32-year-old Senegal native contributed 14 goals and five assists in 71 appearances across all competitions with the Five Stripes from 2023-25.

'Jamal is an experienced striker who brings a different profile to our squad,' said Crew general manager Issa Tall. 'He is another asset that will elevate our team as we push towards the start of the season, and we look forward to welcoming Jamal to Columbus.'

Russell-Rowe joins Ligue 1 side Toulouse for a reported $2.5 million transfer fee plus add-ons and a sell-on clause.

The 23-year-old Canadian tallied 22 goals and 10 assists in 109 matches with Columbus from 2022-25, helping the Crew win the 2023 MLS Cup and 2024 Leagues Cup.

'We are excited for Jacen as he embarks on this next chapter, and we wish him the best moving forward,' Tall said. 'While this transfer is a testament to Jacen's progress and performance over the years, it also highlights the environment that we have created in Columbus that caters for individual development and creates a pathway for players.'

New head coach Henrik Rydstrom and the Crew open the 2026 season on the road against the Portland Timbers on Feb. 21.

--Field Level Media

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