Only Clint & Thierry surpass Keane in earnings
The bi-annual List of Player salaries in Major League Soccer was released this week by the MLS Players Union. Clint Dempsey, who signed for the Seattle Sounders in August, tops the highest earners list with both the highest basic wage [leap-frogging Robbie Keane] and highest Cumulative earnings [leap-frogging Thierry Henry]. Keane now lies second on the basic wage list, earning $4,000,000 per annum. He lies third on the cumulative earnings, behind Dempsey and Henry, once bonuses are factored.
The Top ten earners [cumulative per annum figure] are listed below;
1. Clint Dempsey [$5,038,566.50] at Seattle Sounders
2. Thierry Henry [$4,350,000.00] at New York Red Bulls
3. Robbie Keane [$4,333,333.33] at LA Galaxy
4. Tim Cahill [$3,625,000.00] at New York Red Bulls
5. Landon Donovan [$2,500,000.00] at LA Galaxy
6. Marco Di Vaio [$1,937,508.00] at Montreal Impact
7. Danny Koevermans [$1,663,323.33] at Toronto FC
8. Obefemi martins [$1,725,000.0] at Seattle Sounders
9. Kenny Miller [$1,124,992.00] at Vancouver Whitecaps
10. Freddy Montero [$856,000.00] at Seattle Sounders
All the above are “designated players”, not included in the wage cap the MLS enforces. Each MLS team is allowed two designated players as standard [and are allowed a third once a so-called luxury tax of $250,000, split among the League’s remaining sides, is paid]. The Salary cap stands at €2,950,000 for a a club’s highest 20 earners with a maximum salary for any one player set at $368,750. The League’s top four designated players earn more than the rest of their [non-designated] team-mates combined. A further 10 players may be registered and earn a minimum of $35,125 once they’re under 24. Clubs may register no more than 30 players.
Some other familiar names include Ireland’s Andy O’Brien [$230,012.04], Robbie Earnshaw [$155,150.00], Nigel Reo-Coker [$237,362.50], Michael Silvestre [$186,666.67], recent subject here Shane O’Neill [$60,850.00] and former St.Pat’s player Ryan Guy [$48,510.00].
The entire list can be viewed here http://www.mlsplayers.org/salary_info.html
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