Real Sociedad has transferred 29-year-old Spanish attacking midfielder Brais Méndez to Columbus Crew of the MLS for a fee of six million euros. The Spanish club had been asking for around seven million euros for the player, who was under contract until 2028. Méndez, who joined Real Sociedad in July 2022 and has 4 caps and 1 goal for Spain, was the first player with a contract in force for whom the club was listening to offers, and he had also been near to leaving the previous summer.
The decision to seek a transfer was influenced by his decreasing importance under manager Pellegrino Matarazzo, which became evident when he was not used in the Copa final. While a potential return to Celta was discussed and Crystal Palace was also linked, the deal was completed with the American club, subject to Méndez passing a medical examination and obtaining a work permit. His current Transfermarkt market value is €8.00m.
