Columbus Crew SC wasted no time Thursday in replacing recently departed left winger Bernardo Anor, adding Icelandic midfielder Kristinn Steindorsson on a free transfer from Halmstads BK of the Swedish Allsvenskan.
Crew SC Head Coach and Sporting Director Gregg Berhalter coached at Hammarby IF for two seasons in Sweden, and said he knew of Steindorsson during his time there.
“The last couple years he was able to play in the top league in Sweden and do quite well and add those goals and get those passes that are important to us,” Berhalter said. “So I think it’s a combination of my time in Sweden and following up and scouting him when he was performing at the highest level in Sweden.”
The link to Anor’s move to Sporting Kansas City earlier this week was an easy one, and Berhalter confirmed that the two moves were related.
“As [Anor] performed well and earned a different pay grade, we had to look to replace him, especially if he wasn’t going to be the starter,” Berhalter said. “We didn’t see him necessarily as a starter. So we thought it was time to cash in on some of that value and go in another direction, and we were able to do that with [Steindorsson].”
While Berhlater admitted that there will be an adjustment period in MLS for Steindorsson, Berhalter expects his new signing to compete for starting time this year.
“[Steindorsson] is very technical, he has good movement off the ball and he can score,” Berhalter said. “It’s been demonstrated that we need that ability in those positions to make our game work. So we feel like he’s going to give us what we’re looking for. He can receive the ball in difficult situations, he’s got a first touch and he’s a good dribbler, so his ball skills are very good.”
With the big-money sale of defender Giancarlo Gonzalez and increasing international clamoring for several of his players, Berhalter’s Crew SC team is earning a reputation as a launching point for young players. And while Berhalter doesn’t expect Gonzalez-level profit potential for Steindorsson, he could see the player’s value increasing during his time in Columbus.
“Guys like Giancarlo don’t grow on trees; it’s difficult to take a guy and then in six months sell him for ten times more than what you paid for him,” Berhalter said. “But we certainly see potential in him. He’s hopefully going to be involved in the Icelandic national team, and they’re trying to qualify for the European Championships, which would be a huge stage. We see this as the next stage in his development.”
