CHARLESTON, S.C. — Pondering a potential move to Major League Soccer, Jonathan Mensah reached out to his good friend and fellow Ghana national team member Harrison Afful.

The two have been friends for more than eight years, making Afful, the Crew right back, “like a brother to me now,” Mensah said. Mensah asked about the people in the league and how its style and tactics have progressed over the years. He watched matches, too, mostly because of Afful and other Ghanaian players in the league.

Now, close to two months after he was acquired from Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala as the Crew’s second designated player, the 26-year-old center back finally gets to experience the league for himself. Having just recently returned with Afful from international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon, Mensah is participating in his first workouts with his new club.

“He explained a lot to me,” Mensah said of Afful. “And I’m glad to kind of like get into the team myself, see what he was talking about. It’s a very true style of play; it’s very good.”

Coach Gregg Berhalter lauded Mensah’s physicality and strength in one-on-one situations in the days after signing him. A few days in person with him solidified that impression despite Mensah not having been with the Crew for its preseason training trip to Brazil.

“We’ve been in a different type of schedule in terms of the tremendous physical load that we’ve been giving them, but we’re getting him up to speed, and seems like it’s going really well,” Berhalter said.

The Africa Cup of Nations “wasn’t bad,” Mensah said, but the fourth-place finish wasn’t what Ghana wanted. With the competition more than two weeks behind him, Mensah now spends his time getting acquainted with the Crew and MLS.

“Now we can focus on the club level,” Mensah said. “I’m just glad to be here and wish to help the team every time we play.”

TV partnership renewed

Crew SC announced Tuesday its television broadcast schedule, which includes a second year of an arrangement in which matches will be simulcast on Spectrum Sports and one of four local broadcast stations.

Channel 53 is scheduled to carry 25 matches, Channel 6.2 (myTV Columbus) four matches, Channel 6 two matches, including the March 4 season opener, and Channel 28 one match. Spectrum Sports — the former Time Warner Cable Sports Channel — will carry 32 games, including half-hour pre- and post-game shows.

Two matches will be broadcast nationally: April 1 against Orlando City on UniMas and Sept. 10 against Kansas City on ESPN.

Spanish and English radio broadcast information for all 34 regular-season Crew matches is expected to be announced soon.

Saravia loan update

Reports out of Sweden this week indicated the Crew had loaned midfielder Rodrigo Saravia to Superettan club IK Frej. Berhalter confirmed the midfielder is in Sweden and that the clubs have agreed to a loan but said the deal remains “in the works” as paperwork is completed.

“We have the right to recall him, but I think the important thing is he gets games,” Berhalter said. “I’ve coached (in Sweden), I have experience there and know it’s going to be a tough level (of competition).”

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