Columbus Crew SC announced on Tuesday that they have re-signed midfielders Bernardo Anor and Justin Meram after each player set a new career high in goals in 2014.
“Justin Meram and Bernardo Anor – along with Ethan Finlay and Hector Jimenez – did a good job of increasing their value throughout the league, as they all played important roles for us during the season,” Crew SC head coach Gregg Berhalter said in a club statement. “They proved to us that they could score goals in this league. Re-signing Justin and Bernardo gives us the flexibility to have numerous options in that position and attacking quality in the midfield line.”
Meram, who will turn 26 on Dec. 4, doubled his previous career highs in both goals and assists by scoring eight times and adding four assists in 2014. Meram also scored one goal and assisted on another in the Eastern Conference semifinal series defeat to New England.
Following the season, Meram earned his first international call-up to the Iraq national team for the 2014 Gulf Cup of Nations.
Anor, 26, made a career-high 27 appearances in 2014, his fourth season with Columbus, and scored six goals, including a 90th-minute game-winner in the regular-season finale Oct. 26.
The re-signings of Anor and Meram bring the Columbus active roster for the 2015 season to 25 players.
