Daniel Gazdag is excited for his first reunion with the Philadelphia Union since leaving the club last month, as the Columbus Crew prepare to visit Subaru Park on Saturday.

Gazdag played a talismanic role throughout four years with Philadelphia before joining the Crew in a $4.5million deal.

The Hungary international missed the Crew's 4-2 victory over Charlotte FC last time out with a minor injury, but he is available to face his former team-mates this weekend. 

"The fans in Philly are very excited – I've gotten so many messages already, they are excited that I'm coming back," Gazdag told reporters on Friday.

"Obviously, they sold a lot of Gazdag jerseys while I was playing there, which is really good. 

"I'm proud of what I've done in Philadelphia, and I think the fans really liked me as a player and as a person as well."

In midweek, Columbus handed Gazdag the two-year contract extension Philadelphia would not sanction, and the 29-year-old is excited about the future.

"I'm obviously very happy that I got the extension," Gazdag added. "I'm very happy to play here in Columbus. 

"I think it's a very good team, a very successful team, so I would like to do as much as I can in the next years."

Columbus and Philadelphia are first and second in the Eastern Conference, respectively, and Saturday's game promises to be one of the most eye-catching fixtures of the campaign to date.

And defender Jakob Glesnes says Gazdag's return will not be on the Union's minds when the game kicks off, telling reporters: "Daniel is a really, really good friend for me and my family, and also he was a really good team-mate.

"But when the whistle goes on Saturday, it doesn't matter if it's your friend or not. Then it's three points that are on our minds and it doesn't matter who he is."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Philadelphia Union – Danley Jean Jacques

With goals from Indiana Vassilev and Mikael Uhre in a 2-1 win at CF Montreal last week, Philadelphia's last 11 MLS goals dating back to March 16 have been scored by 10 different players.

Only midfielder Jean Jacques has scored twice for Philadelphia over that span.

Columbus Crew – Daniel Gazdag 

Gazdag scored 63 goals for Philadelphia in MLS before joining the Crew. No player can match that tally in the club's history.

The Hungarian – whose 82 total goal involvements are second in Philadelphia history behind Sebastien Le Toux's 91 – has said he will not celebrate if he scores against his former side. Will he return to haunt them?

MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW 

With 24 points through 11 matches, Columbus have equalled their best start to a season in club history, also managing in 24 in 2020. 

The Crew are the fifth team in MLS history to collect 24 or more points through 11 matches of a season multiple times (LA Galaxy three times, FC Dallas and the New England Revolution twice apiece).

However, the Union's 22 points through 11 matches are their most at this stage of a season in club history. 

Philadelphia have won three straight regular-season matches for the second time this year, though they have not won four in a row since doing so between May and June 2023. 

Columbus have won three straight matches against Philadelphia in all competitions, but it may prove difficult to split the teams this weekend.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Philadelphia Union – 34.8%

Columbus Crew – 39.3%

Draw – 25.9%