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Columbus Crew coach Berhalter hints at Higuain, Parkhurst departures

Kevin Sousa / Reuters

The Columbus Crew might look markedly different on the field in the 2017 MLS season as head coach Gregg Berhalter is seemingly preparing to make a few key changes to the side that endured a woeful 2016 campaign.

Namely, Berhalter is considering the future of team veteran Federico Higuain.

The 32-year-old Argentine made 20 appearances in 2016, recording just four goals and three assists, a new personal low in MLS. While his brother Gonzalo Higuain commanded a massive €90-million transfer fee in Europe, Federico has faded from the spotlight, and Berhalter is considering his future at the club.

"I think with Pipa, he has played an important part on this team,” Berhalter said, according to MLSsoccer. "For us, it's evaluating his health and being able to assess if he's going to be able to perform at his levels. He's a huge contributor to what we do, to our playing style, but in the same sense, we have to judge whether he's going to be able to contribute.

"He's a guy that puts in the work and really looks after his body. The conversation is going to be with the medical staff, trying to project that. If a guy makes money like he does, you need to be on the field."

Higuain isn't the only Crew captain on the chopping block though, with the club yet to extend the contract of central defender Michael Parkhurst.

"We just didn’t see eye to eye on numbers and value," Parkhurst said of contract talks between himself and the club, as quoted by The Columbus Dispatch. "Rather than drag it out and let it get personal - it's business, and both of us understand that - we decided to talk again at the end of the season."

Berhalter offered that Parkhurst has a "good relationship" with the coaching staff, adding: "We rely heavily on him for how the group is doing and the field point of view. That's valued highly but it also comes down to performance, and we have to look at that objectively then make a decision moving forward."

To that end, the 32-year-old defender played all 34 regular-season matches in 2016, leading a back-line that conceded a league joint second-worst 58 goals.

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