COLUMBUS, Ohio — In paying the club’s largest acquisition fee in its history, the Columbus Crew signed Colombian forward Juan Camilo “Cucho” Hernandez from Watford on Tuesday.

What You Need To Know

  • The Columbus Crew signed Colombian forward Juan Camilo “Cucho” Hernandez from Watford

  • The Crew paid the club’s largest acquisition fee in its history

  • Hernandez, 23, appeared in 28 games for Watford across all competitions this past season, with five goals and three assists

  • Hernandez has appeared with the Colombian national team twice

Terms of the contract through 2025, were not released, but along with the Crew’s largest fee in its history, information on the Major League Soccer website listed a reporter $10 million transfer fee, which makes Cucho the seventh-most expensive signing in MLS history.

He joins Columbus as a Young Designated Player and will fill an international roster spot for the Crew.

Hernandez will join the team once he gets his visa and transfer certificate following the opening of the league’s secondary transfer window July 7.

Hernandez, 23, appeared in 28 games for Watford across all competitions this past season, with five goals and three assists. He scored 49 seconds after coming off the bench in his debut match last August against Aston Villa and is the first Colombian to score in his Premier League debut.

“As good as Cucho is, we believe he can be even better in MLS,” Crew President and General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko said in a statement. “There were many teams from top leagues around the world who were after Cucho, and it is a testament to the ambitious project we have created in Columbus that he chose to come here.

“The signing of Cucho signifies the largest acquisition fee in Club history, and that would not have been possible without the Haslam, Johnson and Edwards families’ investment and support. Whether through player signings or improving our environment with the top-class Lower.com Field and OhioHealth Performance Center, our investor-operators have consistently shown that they are committed to ensuring the Crew is a team that contends for championships.”

Hernandez has appeared with the Colombian national team twice. He scored a pair of goals in his debut with the team against Costa Rica in 2018.

“As we enter the halfway point of the season, we feel this is the missing piece to push us over the top,” Crew coach Caleb Porter said in a statement. “We are looking forward to Cucho’s integration into our game model as we believe he can be that consistent goal scorer we’ve been looking for to turn our positive play into more consistent results.”

The Crew (4-5-5) currently sit in 11th in the Eastern Conference.

Hernandez will wear No. 9 on his kit.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.