Kei Kamara celebrates with Ethan Finlay and Waylon Francis after scoring against Chicago during the 2015 season. Kamara is now the second active designated player with Crew SC. Stephanie Sokol/The Pit
[dropcap]C[/dropcap]olumbus Crew SC announced Wednesday that the club had signed forward Kei Kamara to a Designated Player contract extension that should keep Kamara with the Black & Gold through 2018.
“We are proud to be able to offer Kei a contract extension,” Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter said via a press release sent to media. “To me, he is a true success story in this League: a player who has worked his way up the ranks and now has earned a Designated Player contract following one of the most prolific goal-scoring seasons in MLS history last year. It also demonstrates tremendous support from Mr. (Anthony) Precourt in signing two Designated Players and showing his ambition for where he wants this club to go. This is great news for Columbus and I am excited to see what Kei can do this year.”
The Sierra Leone native led MLS in 2015 with 26 goals, four of which were notched in postseason action en route to Crew SC’s MLS Cup berth. Kamara was a MLS All-Star and Crew SC’s Barbasol Most Valuable Player last year. He notched 135 shots with 57 shots on goal.
Crew SC was 10-1-5 when Kamara scored a goal last season and 5-0-2 when he provided an assist. Kamara is the second player to ever break the 20-goal plateau in club history.
Kamara becomes just the fourth to sign this sort of deal and joins Federico Higuain as the second active Designated Player for Columbus, the first time in club history.
Columbus opens the season Sunday on the road in an MLS Cup rematch against Portland. Kickoff is slated for 4:30 PM EST and can be seen on ESPN.
