Gregg Berhalter insists it was important for Columbus Crew to secure Federico Higuain to a new contract.
The 30-year old Argentine playmaker has signed a new multi-year, Designated Player deal with the Crew making him the highest-paid player in the club's history.
Higuain has been a star for the Crew since arriving from Colon de Santa Fe in July 2012 having scored 23 goals and producing 27 assists in 73 appearances which prompted Berhalter to everything he could to tie him down to a new and improved deal.
"Federico has been a priority of ours since I came on," Berhalter told reporters.
"We saw his impact on the group and what he can do in this league, and it was a priority of ours to keep him with the club and reward him for his impact.
"I think Federico was interested in staying longer and was committed to the club, and we were committed to him."
And Berhalter also suggested that Higuain's deal has not negatively affected Columbus' plans to potentially bring in another DP over the winter period.
"It does nothing to affect our cap space because it's the same budget charge as it was the year before," he added. "In terms of bringing in another high-profile DP, that's something we're going to have to look at."
