Moroccan winger Youness Mokhtar has joined Columbus Crew SC, the American professional football club based in Ohio announced on Friday.
According to Massive Report, the 27-year-old footballer was signed after he played for several European first division teams, including Norway’s Stabaek. Mokhtar played for the Netherlands, Turkey and Saudi Arabi, making 170 appearances in total and scoring 28 goals.
«We would like to welcome Youness Mokhtar to Columbus Crew SC. Youness is a creative and dynamic player who can add variety to our attack», Columbus Crew president and general manager Tim Bezbatchenko said in a press release.
«As a veteran, he brings years of proven European experience to our club. We believe that his specific skill set will allow him to thrive in MLS», he added.
Born in the Netherlands to Moroccan parents, Mokhtar debuted his professional career in the PSV Eindhoven Youth Academy. He played in the Dutch Eredivisie, making 25 appearances.
He was signed in 2015 by Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr, where he made only seven appearances and zero goals. In 2016, he returned to the Netherlands. Before joining Norway’s Stabaek, Mokhtar played for Turkey’s MKE Ankaragucu in 2018.