Columbus Crew sign MLS veteran Brooks Lennon to one-year deal

On June 9, the same day columbus-crew-schedule-friendly-vs-173853342.html">the Crew traded defender Yevhen Cheberko, Columbus announced the signing of free-agent defender Brooks Lennon.

“I’m extremely excited to be joining the Crew,” Lennon said in a statement. “It’s an incredible organization with amazing facilities, and the way Columbus likes to play fits my style perfectly. I can’t wait to get going.”

Lennon signed through June 2027, with club options for the 2027-28 and 2028-29 seasons.

The nine-year MLS veteran spent the previous six seasons with Atlanta United, recording 153 starts in 171 regular-season appearances until the end of his contract in 2025. Lennon also spent time with Liverpool before making the move to MLS and Real Salt Lake in 2018.

According to general manager Issa Tall, Lennon was a player the Crew were eyeing during the offseason, but ultimately passed on due to coach Henrik Rydstrom’s style of play. With Laurent Courtois taking over following Rydstrom’s firing on May 17, the Crew’s approach to scouting players has changed.

“The things that Henrik asked for in our players are different than Laurent,” Tall said. “So, for sure, it does change some of the players that we may have discarded before, that now would work for us.”

Lennon is expected to be available for the Crew when they return from the FIFA World Cup break on July 22 against New York City FC.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: MLS free agent Brooks Lennon signs with Columbus Crew