One Kamara wasn’t enough for Columbus Crew SC.
The reigning Eastern Conference champions announced on Thursday that they’ve signed 26-year-old Norwegian international forward Ola Kamara. He’ll join 2015 MLS co-leading scorer Kei Kamara, who is currently attempting to renegotiate his contract with Columbus, on the Crew SC frontline.
Ola Kamara will take up an international slot on the Crew SC roster. Per league and club policy, further terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Kamara comes to Columbus after having last played for Norwegian club Molde, where he spent the 2015 season on loan from Austrian side FK Austria Wien. He scored 14 goals in 29 Tippeligaen appearances and added five more tallies in European competition for Molde, helping the club win Group A in the UEFA Europa League to advance to the competition’s upcoming Round of 32.
He has totaled 74 professional goals across all competitions during his pro career, and has had four double-digit goal campaigns.
“We have been tracking Ola for quite some time and we are pleased to welcome him to Crew SC,” Columbus sporting director and head coach Gregg Berhalter said in a statement released by the club. “Adding a player of his caliber makes our squad stronger as we continue to prepare for the 2016 Major League Soccer season. Not only does he bring a different attacking profile to our club, but his scoring record and past production speaks for itself. We are confident that he has a bright future with Columbus.”
Kamara turned pro in 2006 at the age of 16, when he signed with Norwegian side Stabaek. After a loan stint with Hønefoss, he moved to fellow Norwegian club Strømsgodset in 2009, breaking out in 2010 with seven goals in 25 Tippeligaen appearances.
- Get more Crew SC news at ColumbusCrewSC.com
He followed that up with an 11-goal campaign in 2011 and a 12-goal effort in 2012. He parlayed his success into a move to Austrian club SV Ried, but was immediately loaned to German second-division side 1860 Munich, where he made 10 appearances in the 2. Bundesliga to finish the 2012-13 season. He then rejoined Strømsgodset, scoring 12 goals in 14 league appearances, including two hat tricks, to help the club finish as Tippeligaen champions.
Kamara left Strømsgodset again following the 2013 season, this time for FK Austria Wien. He made 23 appearances over parts of two seasons with the club before returning to Norway in 2015 with Molde.
Kamara, who has one goal in seven caps with Norway’s national team, is the second player to leave a European club for Crew SC this week after Egyptian-American defender Amro Tarek joined the club on loan from La Liga side Real Betis on Wednesday.
