Houston Dynamo trade for Artur from Columbus Crew SC, select Ifunanyachi Achara in MLS Re-Entry Draft

While Hector Herrera was over in Qatar representing the club at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the Houston Dynamo continued efforts to improve its roster for the 2023 MLS season.

The club selected forward Ifunanyachi Achara in the MLS Re-Entry Draft Stage 2 and announced a trade to acquire midfielder Artur from Columbus Crew SC. Achara will still need to be signed to a contract while Artur will join the club immediately.

"Artur is a proven winner in our league, a true competitor and a leader in the locker room," Dynamo general manager Pat Onstad said in a club statement. "We talked about bringing in winners this offseason and Artur embodies this mentality. He will be a unifying presence in the locker room and will add a more physical element to our central midfield next season. I am excited to work with Artur again and welcome him and his family to the city of Houston."

More bite in midfield?

Houston Dynamo FC acquired Artur from Columbus Crew SC in exchange for $300,000 in General Allocation Money with the potential for an additional $50,000 to the Ohio club. Both teams announced the trade on Tuesday.

• $200,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM) in 2023
• $100,000 in GAM in 2024
• Up to $50,000 in conditional GAM if certain performance incentives are met.

Artur joined the Crew on loan from Sao Paulo FC prior to the start of the 2017 season and was permanently transferred to the club after appearing in 24 MLS matches. The midfielder had a total of 138 regular-season matches (124 starts), scoring two goals and adding nine assists over the course of his six seasons with the Crew.

The Brazilian midfielder started all ten of the postseason matches in which he appeared. He scored the game-winner in the Crew’s 1-0 victory over the New England Revolution in the 2020 Eastern Conference Final and helped the club win the 2020 MLS Cup with a 3-0 victory over Seattle Sounders FC.

The 26-year-old made 24 appearances, 20 starts, for the Crew in 2022 and provided 13 clearances, 20 interceptions and helped the team to five clean sheets. In the defensive midfield role, Artur will provide competition to Argentine Matias Vera at the '6' position and provide more support for Mexican star Hector Herrera, whom the club wants to see in the '8' spot.

A low-risk gamble at forward

Earlier in the day, Houston Dynamo FC selected forward Ifunanyachi Achara in Stage 2 of the MLS Re-Entry Draft. The Dynamo will be required to make a genuine offer to Achara within seven days and will hold the Right of First Refusal for the player if an agreement cannot be reached.

The Enugu, Nigeria native was drafted No. 25 overall by Toronto FC in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft and made his debut with the club in its 2020 home opener against New York City FC, scoring the game-winning goal. The forward suffered a season-ending injury before the MLS is Back Tournament.

Achara made his return to the pitch in August 2021, scoring his first goal since injury the following week against CF Montreal, and went on to make 14 appearances. He made 15 appearances during the 2022 MLS regular season, providing one assist in 371 minutes.

The forward played four seasons at Georgetown University and captained the Hoyas to the 2019 NCAA Division I title. At the age of 25, he is a low-risk signing that will have the opportunity to prove himself in an attacking group that is desperate for better play in creativity and wide areas.