Columbus Crew Extend Contract for Nigerian Striker Aliyu Bravo

MLS side Columbus Crew have exercised their option to renew forward Ibrahim Aliyu’s contract, securing the services of the Nigerian also known as “Bravo”  for the 2026 season and potentially beyond.

The 23 year old forward, acquired in April 2025 in a trade from the Houston Dynamo FC, joins a handful of players whose contracts were renewed at the end of the 2025 season.

Columbus Crew’s decision reflects their belief in Aliyu’s potential and value to their attacking options going forward. As part of the 2025 roster decisions, the club listed him among the forwards retained for the upcoming campaign.

Editorial

In a league where fleeting potential often outweighs patience, Columbus Crew’s choice to pick up the option on Ibrahim Aliyu speaks with quiet confidence. This is not a headline-grabbing marquee signing. It is a decision rooted in calculation and one that may pay dividends.

Aliyu arrived in Columbus via intra-league trade from Houston Dynamo, a 23-year-old Nigerian forward whose promise was evident, but whose consistency remained an open question.  The Crew’s decision to retain him suggests they still believe in that promise.

For a club navigating the complexities of roster management, salary caps, and long-term planning, Aliyu offers blend of youthful potential and affordability. He occupies a U-22 roster slot, a designation that allows clubs to invest in growth while minimizing salary-cap impact.  It is a move that reflects prudent stewardship, underpinned by patience rather than impulsive ambition.

That said, patience is only meaningful if matched by progress. Aliyu needs to convert potential into production more goals, sharper movement, ruthless finishing. The physical size and raw athleticism are there, but the margin for inconsistency remains narrow.

If Columbus Crew manage to harness his talents properly giving him chances, confidence and a structured system this renewal could mark the first step of a smart, quietly ambitious plan. In a league defined as much by roster strategy as by star power, sometimes the biggest moves are not the flashy ones but the well-measured ones.

Did You Know?

1. Ibrahim Aliyu originally moved to MLS in 2023 when he signed for Houston Dynamo via the league’s U-22 Initiative after playing for Croatian side NK Lokomotiva Zagreb, where he notched 17 goals and 7 assists in 84 appearances.
2. His arrival at Columbus Crew in April 2025 came via a “cash-for-player” trade, with Houston Dynamo securing an initial $450,000 plus potential add-ons up to $750,000 and retaining a sell-on percentage in case of a future transfer.
3. Despite youth and potential, the 2025 salary data suggests Aliyu’s base salary remains modest by international standards reportedly around $474,996 for the season, given his U-22 designation.
4. The decision to keep him on indicates that Columbus Crew  unlike many clubs quick to cut underperforming players — value developmental patience. This speaks to a broader shift in MLS, where clubs increasingly blend experienced signings with emerging talents on controlled contracts.
5. As of 2025, Aliyu remains one of the relatively few Nigerian forwards plying their trade in MLS, underlining the growing importance of the league as a destination for African talents seeking to reinvent and showcase themselves on a global stage.