COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The Columbus Crew acquired Ukrainian defender Yevhen Cheberko on Friday from NK Osijek of the Croatian First Division.

Cheberko will be added to the Crew roster when the MLS secondary transfer window opens on July 5. The contract with the Crew will run through 2026. 

Cheberko comes to the team after spending the 2021-23 seasons with NK Osijek. He appeared in 58 total matches, helping the team rank among the league’s top three each of his three years.

He will occupy an international roster slot pending receipt of his international transfer certificate and visa.

Cheberko made his professional debut in a Ukrainian Premier League match for Dnipro on July 24, 2016. He scored two goals in 14 matches before transferring to Zorya Luhansk, where he contributed in 53 league matches and six UEFA Europa League matches from 2017 to 2020. 

A Ukrainian Youth International, Cheberko played in 64 total matches for the U-16 to U-21 teams and made his senior debut in an international friendly against France on Oct. 7, 2020.