Columbus Crew acquire Aliyu Ibrahim from Houston Dynamo

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

The Columbus Crew have signed forward Aliyu Ibrahim from Houston Dynamo FC through a cash-for-player deal. They paid $450,000 plus up to $750,000 in performance-based incentives. Houston will also keep a stake if Ibrahim is transferred in the future. The 23-year-old Nigerian striker will fill a U-22 Initiative roster spot and is under contract through the end of the 2025 MLS season, with options for 2026 and 2027.

“Aliyu is a young, active player with MLS and international experience,” said Crew General Manager Issa Tall. “His addition gives us more attacking options and depth. We are pleased to bring him to Columbus and are eager to see how he fits within our team.”

In his first season with Houston in 2023, Ibrahim played in 24 regular season matches, starting 16. He scored three goals and made three assists. He also played in four playoff matches, helping Houston reach the Western Conference Final. In the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, Ibrahim scored three goals in five games, including a brace in a 4-1 win over Chicago Fire FC in the quarter-finals. Houston won their second Open Cup title that year.

Ibrahim played all 34 regular season matches in 2023, one of only 21 players in the league to do so. He started 33 games, scoring six goals and adding five assists. His actions helped Houston make the playoffs for the second year in a row.

He joined Houston in April 2023 after three years with NK Lokomotiva Zagreb in Croatia’s top division. Ibrahim made his debut at age 18 on October 2, 2020. He scored 17 goals and provided seven assists in 84 appearances for Lokomotiva.

On the national level, Ibrahim has played four times for Nigeria’s Under-20 squad. He competed in the 2019 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, helping Nigeria reach the semi-finals.