New Atlanta United FC center back Michael Parkhurst penned a revealing piece for ESPN FC on his offseason move from Columbus Crew SC to the expansion club on Thursday, detailing some of the ins-and-outs of being traded and starting fresh with a brand new club.
One of the more interesting items from the essay was Parkhurst’s description of the period after he learned he wouldn’t be back with Columbus but before he knew where he’d land. As you can imagine, that’s a stressful time for any player. Thankfully for Parkhurst, he had a few factors working in his favor, starting with the fact that he’d be moved in the offseason, giving him and his family a bit of time to adjust to their new city before getting into the full swing of preseason.
Another positive? Crew SC were cooperative in helping get to his preferred destination.
“Second, Crew SC assured me they would not be difficult to deal with in terms of what they wanted in return, making it easier for me to move to my preferred destination,” he wrote. “This was important because, if the demands of the existing club are too high, they limit the teams that might be interested, as well as the salary the new team can pay.
“The third positive aspect for me was that the first club I spoke with was Atlanta United. We had heard there was interest from a couple of other clubs, but it was a tough time of year, with teams still making decisions about their out-of-contract and optioned players. With nobody else ready to make a move, my focus was solely on Atlanta.”
After a conversation with Atlanta technical director Carlos Bocanegra, Parkhurst was sold. The trade was finalized soon after, with the former US international now in preseason camp with the expansion club in Bradenton, Fla. in preparation for their inaugural match on March 5 against the New York Red Bulls at Bobby Dodd Stadium (7 pm ET; FS1).
For more from Parkhurst, including his thoughts on leaving Columbus, check out the full piece.
