With Columbus Crew striker Cucho Hernandez reportedly on his way to Real Betis, it’s a move that also where Major League Soccer wants to be as a league. The Crew showed their ambition in signing Cucho from Watford for a club-record fee of $10 million when the Colombian forward was only 22. At the time, designated players were usually in their prime or the twilight of their careers, but he arrived after scoring five goals in 25 Premier League appearances for the English club.
Coming to Major League Soccer and instantly being a hit with back-to-back seasons of more than 20 goal contributions, Cucho led the crew to an MLS Cup title in 2023, a Leagues Cup title in 2024, and an appearance in the Concacaf Champions Cup final during that same season. Becoming an unstoppable force in the league, Cucho is one of the reasons why the Crew were able to keep up with bigger spenders like Inter Miami despite losing key contributors like Aidan Morris and Lucas Zelarayan during his time there.
With a reported $16 million dollar fee for the 25-year-old forward, not only would it be a club record sale for the Crew but they’d also gain money on their investment after winning trophies. With add-on fees for his performances and a sell-on fee, it’s a move that makes too much sense to do. Add in having a top head coach in Wilfried Nancy and the Crew would trust themselves to find a top forward that can match their ambitions.
It could feel like it’s a loss for the league with a top player like Cucho leaving right before the season starts but part of that is down to MLS not starting their season at the same time as the rest of the world. This is a time when teams around the world are looking to bolster for stretch runs and an addition like Cucho could help Betis push for a European trophy while in the Conference League.
If he succeeds, it would only be another mark in favor of MLS as a league to improve a player’s standing allowing the recruitment of more young stars. Even when it comes to the fee, Taty Castellanos had to spend a year on loan at Girona before making a move to Lazio from New York City FC while Cucho has proved himself to such a degree that a La Liga team is willing to add him directly from Columbus.
Cucho will also have a better chance at pushing to become the starting nine for the Colombian national team while playing consistent minutes in La Liga. He hasn’t gotten many looks for the side while in MLS, and with Jhon Duran at Al-Nassr, it’s a wide open race with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon.
At the end of the day, it’s a good sign for the growth of the league. The incoming transfer record has already been broken with Kevin Denkey joining FC Cincinnati and Cucho’s move will also enter the top 10 of outgoing record sales in league history. There will come a time when players like him stay in the league longer as it grows, but it’s important for MLS to also recognize their place in the global market.
Getting two full seasons and trophies out of an import like Cucho then selling for a profit is an undeniable success. Teams are improving in bringing in the right players for their record incoming deals and as long as that continues, there will be no shortage of marketable stars in the league. Thiago Almada left for Botafogo and Atlanta United continued to knock Lionel Messi and Inter Miami out of the MLS Cup playoffs. The Crew will move forward even without Cucho and with the funds to find the next star abroad.
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