MLS Columbus Crew SC

Berhalter Says Re-Signing Argentine Playmaker Higuain was "Priority"

Published on January 6, 2015 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Columbus Crew SC News Release


Get used to seeing Federico Higuain in a Columbus Crew SC shirt.

That was the message Monday after the team announced it had re-signed the Argentine Designated Player to a new deal that will keep the playmaker around for "quite a while."

While specifics of the deal were not released, the club said that Higuain's contract is the largest in team history, and Crew SC boss Gregg Berhalter confirmed it is a "multi-year" deal.

"Federico has been a priority of ours since I came on," Berhalter told reporters in a conference call Monday. "We saw his impact on the group and what he can do in this league, and it was a priority of ours to keep him with the club and reward him for his impact.

"... I think Federico was interested in staying longer and was committed to the club, and we were committed to him."

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For Berhalter, Higuain's decision to re-sign reinforced that players want to play in Columbus.

"Most importantly, it's a sign that he really likes it in Columbus," Berhalter said. "He's happy in Columbus. He's happy living here, and he's happy with the club and the team."

And while his Spanish-speaking friends Jairo Arrieta and Agustin Viana both left the team in the offseason, Berhalter said Higuain isn't concerned about the shrinking Spanish-speaking contingent in Columbus.

"We actually talked about that," Berhalter said. "He felt it was actually going to help him a little bit to get more integrated with his English-speaking teammates. He is already, but when you're forced because there aren't many Spanish speakers, you have no option."

Higuain dealt with injuries toward the end of the 2014 season and missed Crew SC's playoff exit in New England, but Berhalter said he doesn't see the 30-year-old as an injury-prone player and expects him "to be on the field more often than not" in the future.

"We think he's a player who looks after himself and keeps his body in good condition," Berhalter said. "Thirty, in our eyes, isn't that old. We need a mix. That mix of age groups is extremely important. ... We think he still has a lot of time left in him."

And Berhalter said the move doesn't have an effect on how much Crew SC can spend on other additions to their squad.

"It does nothing to affect our cap space because it's the same budget charge as it was the year before," he said. "In terms of bringing in another high-profile DP, that's something we're going to have to look at."

And while he didn't rule out another DP, Berhalter isn't concerned with salaries.

"I've always said that we look for quality players," he said. "It doesn't matter the price. They don't necessarily have to be expensive players. We want to find high-quality, good-value players, and we're going to continue to look for those types of players."

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