Columbus Crew Acquire Striker Jamal Thiare from Atlanta United

Crew send $200,000 in allocation money to Atlanta in exchange for veteran forward

Jan. 31, 2026 at 12:31pm

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The Columbus Crew are finalizing a trade with Atlanta United to acquire 32-year-old striker Jamal Thiare. In exchange, the Crew will send $200,000 in general allocation money to Atlanta, with the potential for an additional $100,000 if Thiare meets certain performance benchmarks. Thiare, a Senegalese native, has spent the last two seasons with Atlanta United, primarily coming off the bench and scoring 11 goals in 56 regular-season games.

Why it matters

The acquisition of Thiare comes just two days after the Crew announced the transfer of forward Jacen Russell-Rowe to French club Toulouse FC. Thiare will provide experienced depth and scoring punch to the Crew's attack as they look to build on a successful 2025 season.

The details

Thiare, who previously spent five seasons with French club Le Havre AC, signed a one-year contract with Atlanta in 2024 that included a club option for 2026, which Atlanta has now exercised. The Crew will take on Thiare's $730,000 salary for the 2026 season.

  • The Crew are finalizing the trade with Atlanta United on January 31, 2026.
  • Thiare's one-year contract with Atlanta, which included a club option for 2026, was signed in 2024.

The players

Jamal Thiare

A 32-year-old striker from Senegal who has spent the last two seasons with Atlanta United, primarily coming off the bench and scoring 11 goals in 56 regular-season games.

Jacen Russell-Rowe

A forward who was recently transferred from the Columbus Crew to French club Toulouse FC after scoring 16 goals in 80 regular-season games for the Crew.

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What’s next

The Crew will look to integrate Thiare into their lineup ahead of the 2026 MLS season, which kicks off in March.

The takeaway

The Crew's acquisition of Thiare demonstrates their commitment to strengthening their roster and maintaining a competitive edge in MLS, even as they navigate the departure of a key offensive contributor in Russell-Rowe.