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French club Toulouse has submitted a bid worth around $2 million plus add-ons to the Columbus Crew for Canadian international forward Jacen Russell-Rowe, sources briefed on the situation tell The Athletic.
Russell-Rowe is out of contract at the end of the year. If Columbus rejects the bid and he remains with the club, he can sign a pre-contract agreement with another club abroad starting in the summer. Toulouse sits eighth in Ligue 1.
Russell-Rowe, 23, wants to play in Europe. He has eight caps for Canada and is aiming to make Jesse Marsch’s World Cup squad this summer.
He was in Toronto FC’s academy but broke through with the Crew’s second team before being elevated to the first team in 2022 and becoming a regular in 2023. He had nine goals and two assists in just under 2,000 regular season and postseason minutes in 2025.
Columbus has depth at the position, with Palestine international forward Wessam Abou Ali a key signing last summer, following his strong showing with Al-Ahly at the FIFA Club World Cup.
New coach Henrik Rydstrøm, who replaced Wilfried Nancy, also has Diego Rossi and Daniel Gazdag to choose from, and his preferred attacking combinations remain to be seen.
Toulouse has been looking at MLS products for reinforcements in recent years. The club previously signed Cristian Casseres Jr. from the New York Red Bulls and had a bid rejected by the Crew last summer for U.S. international Max Arfsten. Toulouse also currently has former Philadelphia Union and USMNT center back Mark McKenzie in the team, though he was signed from Genk.