MLSPA release numbers
MLS player salaries - Atlanta United top salary and market value ranking
©Xavier Dussaq/MLS
The Major League Soccer Player Association has released its annual salary guide on Tuesday. At the very top of the player, ranking is Swiss star Xherdan Shaqiri. The 30-year-old winger earns a guaranteed salary of $8.15 million. Among the clubs, Atlanta United have the highest guaranteed salary at $20.99 million. Atlanta's salary demands also coincide with the club's overall squad value. At $81.68 million, the highest in Major League Soccer.
Atlanta United aside, there is, however, some discrepancy between overall squad values and guaranteed salaries spent. Los Angeles FC, for example, rank second in overall squad value ($56.73m) but just 11th in guaranteed salary paid in 2022 ($14.56m). The clubs ranked second and third in guaranteed salary are Los Angeles Galaxy ($20.13m) and Inter Miami CF ($18.88m). But while the Galaxy see their market value somewhat reflected in the salary spend—the club has the highest seventh-highest market value in the league ($43.37m)—Inter Miami have the second-lowest squad value overall ($23.91m).
Inter Miami's disastrous squad planning is a major part of the equation. In Rodolfo Pizarro, the South Florida-based club still has a player on the books for this season, who is currently playing on loan at Liga MX side Monterrey. World Cup winner Blaise Matuidi—he earns $1.5 million—is also still listed but currently not part of the squad.
Atlanta United 1st - MLS Teams Ranked By Salary
Real Salt Lake City | Guaranteed Compensation: $10.47m
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Highest paid player: Damir Kreilach ($1.55m); Market value: $2.2m
Last updated: May 18, 2022; Source: MLSPA
Charlotte FC | Guaranteed Compensation: $10.71m
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Highest paid player: Karol Świderski ($2.26m); Market value: $5.5m
Portland Timbers | Guaranteed Compensation: $11.31m
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Highest paid player: Yimmi Chará ($1.8m); Market value: $3.3m
Colorado Rapids | Guaranteed Compensation: $11.39m
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Highest paid player: Gyasi Zardes ($1.55m); Market value: $2.75m
Orlando City | Guaranteed Compensation: $11.51m
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Highest paid player: Ercan Kara ($1.86m); Market value: $3.3m
San Jose Earthquakes | Guaranteed Compensation: $11.54m
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Highest paid player: Jamiro Monteiro ($1.29m); Market value: $3.3m
Houston Dynamo | Guaranteed Compensation: $11.55m
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Highest paid player: Sebastián Ferreira ($1.97m); Market value: $3.3m
Nashville SC | Guaranteed Compensation: $11.71m
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Highest paid player: Hany Mukhtar ($1.64m); Market value: $8.8m
New York Red Bulls | Guaranteed Compensation: $11.73m
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Highest paid player: Ashley Fletcher ($1.57m); Market value: $2.2m
Philadelphia Union | Guaranteed Compensation: $11.81m
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Highest paid player: Mikael Uhre ($1.58m); Market value: $3.3m
Vancouver Whitecaps | Guaranteed Compensation: $11.95m
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Highest paid player: Ryan Gauld ($2.67m); Market value: $7.15m
D.C. United | Guaranteed Compensation: $12.48m
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Highest paid player: Edison Flores ($1.73m); Market value: $2.75m
Minnesota United | Guaranteed Compensation: $12.84m
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Highest paid player: Adrien Hunou ($2.69m); Market value: $3.85m
CF Montréal | Guaranteed Compensation: $12.92m
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Highest paid player: Victor Wanyama ($3.1m); Market value: $5.5m
Sporting Kansas City | Guaranteed Compensation: $13.63m
© Matt Stith & Jared Martinez
Highest paid player: Alan Pulido ($2.2m); Market value: $8.8m
Austin FC | Guaranteed Compensation: $13.75m
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Highest paid player: Sebastian Driussi ($2.32m); Market value: $7.7m
FC Cincinnati | Guaranteed Compensation: $13.79m
© FC Cincinnati
Highest paid player: Luciano Acosta ($2.22m); Market value: $2.75m
LAFC | Guaranteed Compensation: $14.56m
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Highest paid player: Carlos Vela ($4.05m); Market value: $5.5m
Columbus Crew | Guaranteed Compensation: $14.98m
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Highest paid player: Lucas Zelarayán ($3.7m); Market value: $8.8m
FC Dallas | Guaranteed Compensation: $15.03m
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Highest paid player: Franco Jara ($3.23m); Market value: $1.65m
Toronto FC | Guaranteed Compensation: $15.21m
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Highest paid player: Alejandro Pozuelo ($4.7m); Market value: $8.8m
New York City FC | Guaranteed Compensation: $15.54m
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Highest paid player: Thiago Martins ($1.96m); Market value: $3.85m
Seattle Sounders | Guaranteed Compensation: $16.98m
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Highest paid player: Nicolás Lodeiro ($3.26m); Market value: $3.3m
Chicago Fire | Guaranteed Compensation: $17.65m
© Chicago Fire FC
Highest paid player: Xherdan Shaqiri ($8.15m); Market value: $7.7m
New England Revolution | Guaranteed Compensation: $18.14m
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Highest paid player: Jozy Altidore ($4.26m); Market value: $550,000
Inter Miami CF | Guaranteed Compensation: $18.88m
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Highest paid player: Gonzalo Higuaín ($5.8m); Market value: $2.2m
LA Galaxy | Guaranteed Compensation: $20.13m
© LA Galaxy
Highest paid player: Chicharito ($6m); Market value: $2.2m
Atlanta United | Guaranteed Compensation: $20.99m
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Highest paid player: Josef Martínez ($4.14m); Market value: $13.75m
NYCFC, Sounders, and Revolution - Market value reflects guaranteed salary
In New York City FC, Seattle Sounders, and New England Revolution, three very successful clubs see their market value also reflected in their guaranteed salary spending. MLS Cup winners NYCFC have the third biggest overall squad value ($56.29m) and are seventh in guaranteed salary paid ($15.54m). New England, which won the Supporters' Shield in 2021, have the fifth-highest squad value ($52.75m) and fourth-highest salary ($18.14m). Concacaf Champions League winners Sounders, in the meantime, have the fourth highest squad value ($53.1m) and sixth-highest salary package ($16.98m).
Insigne, Shaqiri, Chicharito & Co. - The highest paid players in MLS in 2022
Sebastian Driussi | Austin FC | Salary: $2.32m
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Market value: $11m (All salaries guaranteed compensation)
Thiago Almada | Atlanta United | Salary: $2.33m
© Atlanta United
Market value: $16.5m
Walker Zimmerman | Columbus Crew | Salary: $2.35m
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Market value: $3.85m
Gastón Gimenez | Chicago Fire | Salary: $2.36m
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Market value: $2.75m
Gareth Bale | LAFC | Salary: $2.39m
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Market value: $3.3m
Gustavo Bou | New England Revolution | Salary: $2.68m
© Matt Stith/MLS
Market value: $6.6m
Carlos Vela | LAFC | Salary: $4.05m
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Market value: $3.85m
Cucho Hernández | Columbus Crew | Salary: $2.89m
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Market value: $9.9m
Victor Wanyama | CF Montréal | Salary: $3.09m
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Market value: $4.4m
Raúl Ruidíaz | Seattle Sounders | Salary: $3.2m
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Market value: $6.6m
Franco Jara | FC Dallas | Salary: $3.23m
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Market value: $1.65m
Nicolás Lodeiro | Seattle Sounders | Salary: $3.26m
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Market value: $2.75m
Rodolfo Pizarro | Inter Miami CF (on loan at Monterrey) | Salary: $3.35m
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Market value: $4.4m
Carles Gil | New England Revolution | Salary: $3.54m
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Market value: $7.7m
Lucas Zelarayán | Columbus Crew | Salary: $3.7m
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Market value: $8.8m
Josef Martínez | Atlanta United | Salary: $4.14m
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Market value: $8.8m
Christian Benteke | D.C. United | Salary: $4.18m
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Market value: $5.5m
Jozy Altidore | NERevs (on loan at Puebla) | Salary: $4.26m
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Market value: $550,000
Luiz Araújo | Atlanta United | Salary: $4.5m
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Market value: $8.8m
Alejandro Pozuelo | Inter Miami CF | Salary: $4.69m
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Market value: $6.6m
Hector Herrera | Houston Dynamo | Salary: $5.25m
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Market value: $3.3m
Gonzalo Higuaín | Inter Miami CF | Salary: $5.79m
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Market value: $2.2m
Douglas Costa | LA Galaxy | Salary: $5.8m
© LA Galaxy
Market value: $2.75m
Chicharito | LA Galaxy | Salary: $6m
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Market value: $2.2m
Federico Bernardeschi | Toronto FC | Salary: $6.25m
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Market value: $8.8m
Xherdan Shaqiri | Chicago Fire FC | Salary: $8.15m
© Chicago Fire FC
Market value: $5.5m
Lorenzo Insigne | Toronto FC | Salary: $14m
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Market value: $22m