Columbus Crew head coach and Sporting Director Gregg Berhalter has told reporters that Serie A side U.S. Città di Palermo has offered a $5 million dollar transfer offer for Costa Rican defender Giancarlo Gonzalez. News fluttered around Columbus and Crew fans that Giancarlo Gonzalez has been transferred to Palermo.
Currently, Gonzalez is not with the Columbus Crew team and later it was confirmed that the Crew had officially sold the defender to Palermo, for $5 million.
The Crew acquired the defender on February 21, 2014 from Norwegian club Valerenga. He made 17 appearances for Columbus, Gonzalez has notched only one goal, coming from their routing 4-1 win over the LA Galaxy two weeks ago, in Major League Soccer action.
Giancarlo Gonzalez also made his presence known during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, held in Brazil this past summer. Gonzalez and his back line teammates only allowed one goal (3-1) as the Ticos beat Uruguay, and 1-0 over Italy, which helped them qualify for the knockout stage. Appearing in a penalty shootout against Greece, Gonzalez was the third of five Costa Rican players to convert from the spot.
Gonzalez will have his work cut out for him trying to find playing time with the Italian side. They return three center-backs who made at least 30 appearances with the club last season including Siniša Anđelković, Ezequiel Muñoz and Claudio Terzi. The club has also brought in 29-year-old Ivory Coast international Sol Babma as well to try and shore up their defense upon their return to Serie A after winning Serie B by 14 points in 2013-2014.
Columbus Down and Out? Columbus is not down and out because of losing an in-form defender. Replacing Giancarlo Gonzalez could be Tyson Wahl, a center-back that the Crew acquired two years ago from the Colorado Rapids. Although Gonzalez' presence will be missed on the field, the Costa Rican still holds a special place in his heart for the ladies and gentlemen from Columbus Crew.