Chicago Fire FC’s Xherdan Shaqiri is Major League Soccer’s highest-paid player with a guaranteed salary of $8.15 million, according to salary data released on Tuesday. by the MLS Players Association.
Shaqiri beat LA Galaxy’s Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez for first place, with the Mexico international guaranteed $6 million. Inter Miami’s Gonzalo Higuain ($5.79 million), Toronto FC’s Alejandro Pozuelo ($4.69 million), New England Revolution’s Jozy Altidore ($4.26 million), Josef Martinez of Atlanta United ($4.14 million) and LAFC’s Carlos Vela ($4.05 million) – the highest-paid player this time a year ago – rounded out the top six earners.
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All data is as of 15 April 2022, so does not include previously announced acquisitions – such as Toronto FC’s signing of striker Lorenzo Insigne from Napoli – which will arrive when the summer transfer window opens July 7.
The MLSPA said the average base salary for undesignated senior players increased from $397,753 in 2021 to $438,728 in 2022, an increase of 10.3%. This figure does not include players earning the senior minimum salary ($84,000) or reserve minimum salary ($65,500).
The guaranteed average base pay for the entire player pool is $472,008, up 11.5% from the May 2021 mark of $423,232. Salaries for players at the bottom of the pay scale continue to improve as the league’s guaranteed median base pay was $248,333, up 18.25% from the May 2021 mark of 210 $000.
MLS and MLSPA are in year two of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) which was agreed to in February of last year. This deal was the third of its kind in about a year due to MLS’s invocation of a force majeure clause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The current ABC runs until the end of the 2027 season.
In terms of payroll based on guaranteed base pay, Atlanta United’s is the highest at $21 million, along with LA Galaxy ($20.13 million), Inter Miami CF ($18.88 million), the New England Revolution ($18.14 million) and Chicago ($17.65 million). ) completing the top five. Real Salt Lake ($10.48 million) had the lowest payroll, followed by Charlotte FC ($10.71 million), Portland Timbers ($11.31 million), Colorado Rapids (11 $.39 million) and Orlando City ($11.51 million).
It should be noted that the New England figures are inflated because Altidore’s former club Toronto are paying part of the player’s salary after the Reds used their one-time guaranteed contract buyout on him in last February.
Seattle Sounders FC – recently crowned CONCACAF Champions League winners – came sixth with $16.98 million, while defending MLS Cup champions New York City FC were seventh with 15 .54 million.