Peruvian striker Andres Mendoza has arrived in the US to kick off his trial with MLS club Columbus Crew.

The 32-year old free agent who last played for Mexican outfit Morelia arrived in Columbus on Sunday and was excited about the prospects of winning a contract with the Crew.

"I am happy to be here," Mendoza said in Spanish. "I want to stay in Columbus."

Crew head coach Robert Warzycha said Mendoza is exactly the player the club needs but admitted he wanted a closer look before making a commitment.

"We've been wanting to add a player like that, a player who could maybe score 20 goals," Warzycha told the Columbus Dispatch. "We haven't had someone like that since Stern John was here.

"You don't want to make a mistake, but we wanted to see him here, see if he's physically OK."