U.S. club Columbus Crew has signed Qarabag forward Nariman Akhundzade.

Axar.az informs negotiations between Akhundzade and the MLS side Columbus Crew have reached their final stage, and the parties have reached an agreement. Under the current arrangement, the player is now allowed to discuss personal contract terms with the club.

Akhundzade will join Columbus Crew under the MLS “U22 Initiative” program. This program allows clubs to sign young players with reduced budget charges, meaning the player’s salary and transfer fee count less toward the club’s salary cap, making it easier to integrate young talent into the squad.

Akhundzade has been with Qarabag since 2021, scoring 35 goals and providing 17 assists. He has played for the Azerbaijan national team since 2023 but is yet to score.