CINCINNATI – FC Cincinnati have acquired a 2021 MLS SuperDraft second-round selection from Columbus Crew SC in exchange for midfielder Fatai Alashe. Should Alashe meet certain performance-based metrics, FC Cincinnati would instead receive $50,000 in General Allocation Money.
Alashe, 26, made 26 appearances, including 14 starts, scoring two goals across all competitions for FC Cincinnati since 2018.
“We want to thank Fatai for being an important part of establishing this club within Major League Soccer, joining our team before we had moved to MLS. We wish him well as he begins the next chapter of his career,” FC Cincinnati General Manager Gerard Nijkamp said. “This move is being made with the intent to create better balance on our roster. Given the number of players we currently have at the central midfield position, we feel this is a move that is beneficial for both the club and Fatai.”
On July 30, 2018, FC Cincinnati (USL) acquire Alashe on loan from the San Jose Earthquakes for the remainder of the 2018 USL Championship season, while also acquiring his MLS rights for 2019. Alashe made nine appearances, all starts, scoring one goal with the Orange and Blue at the USL Championship level.
He made his MLS debut for the Orange and Blue as a second-half substitute against Real Salt Lake on April 20, 2019. The midfielder scored his lone MLS goal, the game-winning goal, for FC Cincinnati in the club’s 2-1 win against the Montreal Impact on May 11, 2019.
FC Cincinnati will return to Nippert Stadium for the first time in 2020 on Friday, Aug. 21, when the team hosts D.C. United for the continuation of the MLS regular season. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET, and the game will be televised on WSTR 64, carried on the radio on WDJO (99.5 FM, 107.9 FM and 1480 AM), streamed regionally on fccincinnati.com/stream, out of market on ESPN+, while an audio stream will be available at TuneIn (WDJO) and fccincinnati.com.
For up-to-the-minute information about FC Cincinnati, visit the team’s official website at fccincinnati.com, or follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @FCCincinnati. Additionally, fans are encouraged to download the team’s official mobile app on the Apple App Store or Google Play for instant access to mobile tickets, team content and match notifications.
Information about seating options at the club’s state-of-the-art West End Stadium – which will open in Spring 2021 – is now available at westendstadium.com. The priority deadline for premium seating deposits has passed, and deposits for traditional reserved seating will open next month. For more information about 2021 season memberships, visit westendstadium.com or the stadium’s social properties on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram at @WestEndStadium, or by calling the team’s sales and service staff at 513-977-5425.
TRANSACTION: FC Cincinnati acquired a 2021 MLS SuperDraft second-round selection from Columbus Crew SC in exchange for midfielder Fatai Alashe on Aug. 17, 2020.
