Kekuta Manneh was given some reassurance from Crew SC this week.

Amid rumors that Crew SC was shopping the 22-year-old forward, whose contract expires at the end of this season, he was told that, in fact, the Crew is not looking to trade him.

For now, he can breathe easy on the secondary transfer window front. What comes after this season — where Manneh will play his soccer in 2018 — is to be determined, and by design.

When Crew SC acquired Manneh from the Vancouver Whitecaps in late March, Crew coach and sporting director Gregg Berhalter said, “I think those conversations will happen sooner rather than later” with respect to signing Manneh to an extension.

With Manneh now eight appearances into his Crew career, it appears likely that a substantive discussion on his future with the club likely won’t happen until the end of the season.

“We’ll handle that,” Manneh told The Dispatch on Friday. “It’s just taking it month to month and see how things go. Hopefully at the end of the season we can sit down and evaluate how the season went and if they want me back here they’ll make an offer and we’ll go from there.”

Part of the reason for that timeline, Manneh said, is to gain the full scope of a season with the Crew. When Manneh first arrived in Columbus, he didn’t see the field much, logging nine minutes in a span of six weeks. It has been a steady rise for Manneh of late: he has two goals and an assist in his last three games.

“It’s early. We have a four months left in the season. A lot of games left. I have to prove that I earn whatever they’re going to offer me,” Manneh said. “It’s just a lot of my family involved, my agent, we have to sit down and discuss that and see where my head is at, if I want to stay in the league or if I want to play somewhere else. We haven’t decided yet, but I’m keeping all the options open.

“It would be silly of me to commit to something right now. I just want to see how it plays out until the end of the season and if the right opportunity presents (itself), whether it would be here or overseas.”

Berhalter commended Manneh on his ability to improve in recent weeks, and said that momentum should “speak for itself.”

“When he came in, he did a lot of hard work to get himself where he is now and he’s in a position where he’s making an impression on the group, on the team, on the league with his play. We’re excited that he’s gotten to this point and we want him to keep it going. We want him to stay focused on that, just making an impact,” Berhalter said of Manneh. “We want to see exactly the scope of how he can perform, but he’s doing a great job.”

Asked if remaining in MLS after this season is a possibility, Manneh said it is. He stressed that he wants a situation where he can play while enjoying himself, whether that’s in Columbus or elsewhere.

What is clear, however, is that Manneh is visibly more relaxed now than when he first arrived in Columbus. He feels he now understands his role and that time on the field has helped him mesh with his Crew teammates.

“I’m comprehending the way this team plays. I feel like I’ve figured it out now, a combo between my style and their style. I think that kind of helped me settle down a little bit and it’s not just me chasing,” Manneh said. “The team is coming together. That helps me relax, seeing myself contribute and be a part of the team. That was my aim and I feel like I’m doing that.”

Stoppage time

Niko Hansen, who has missed three games after undergoing hernia surgery June 21, ran and participated in drills off to the side Friday. Berhalter said Hansen remains “limited” in training, adding he would have to speak with the medical staff about the possibility of Hansen returning for Monday’s friendly against Eintracht Frankfurt. He said he does expect Hansen to be available next Saturday against Philadelphia.Berhalter said midfielder Justin Meram, who stretched off to the side during the open portion of Friday’s practice, participated in warmups and jogged around the field as he continues to recover from what Berhalter described as a “bone bruise” in his ankle. “It’s in a spot where it takes a while to heal in terms of the pain,” Berhalter said. “We’ve got to get him pain free.”Midfielder Marshall Hollingsworth has been with the Crew’s USL affiliate, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, since February, but was with Crew SC Friday. Berhalter said Hollingsworth is rehabbing with the Crew after receiving an injection in his knee to alleviate pain.

aerickson@dispatch.com

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