AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin FC bolstered its stable of goal scorers with the signing of Gyasi Zardes, the club announced Monday.
Zardes, who has scored 97 goals in 267 Major League Soccer appearances with the LA Galaxy, Columbus Crew and most recently the Colorado Rapids, signed a three-year contract with a fourth-year club option. He won two MLS Cups with the Galaxy in 2014 and the Crew in 2020, and he was part of two U.S. Men’s National Team squads that won CONCACAF Gold Cup titles in 2017 and 2021.
He was the league’s Comeback Player of the Year in 2018 with the Crew when Austin FC head coach Josh Wolff was an assistant at the time. His 97 goals are the 13th-most in MLS history.
“I can’t wait to step out on the field at Q2 Stadium and represent both Austin FC and the community as a whole,” Zardes said in an Austin FC press release. “I love the way Austin FC plays, and look forward to working with Claudio, Josh, and the rest of the team. This is a special moment for my family and me.”
Wolff said having worked with Zardes previously in Columbus is a huge benefit to not just their relationship, but it adds a veteran presence with league success to the locker room.
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“Having worked with Gyasi in the past, I couldn’t be more excited to have him join the team here in Austin,” Wolff said. “His quality, humility, and work ethic as a striker fit our system well, and it’s fantastic to add another player with his level of MLS success to our locker room.”
Zardes made his USMNT debut in 2015 and has scored 14 goals in 68 international appearances. He’s a product of the LA Galaxy academy system and played collegiately at California State-Bakersfield.
