Giovinco takes over top MLS salary spot
Major League Soccer has a new highest-paid player: Toronto FC’s Sebastian Giovinco.
He makes a base salary of $6.5 million and total compensation of $7,115,555.67, according to the latest numbers released Thursday by the MLS Players Association. Those numbers are slightly lower than what former Orlando City star Kaká made — $6.6 million base salary and $7.176 million total — before he retired at the end of last season.
Last year, Giovinco’s base salary was lower at $5.6 million, but his total compensation was the same.
Toronto FC, known as a big spender for talent, also boasts the second-highest salary in the league with Michael Bradley’s $6 million base salary and $6.5 million total compensation. Only three other MLS players make $6 million or more: LAFC’s Carlos Vela ($6,292,500 total), Chicago’s Bastian Schweinsteiger ($6.1 million) and the LA Galaxy’s Giovani dos Santos ($6 million).
In total, Major League Soccer has 46 millionaires, 47 counting DC United’s Zoltan Stieber, who comes in at $999,999.96 in total compensation.
Star striker Dom Dwyer is Orlando City’s highestpaid player, receiving total compensation of $1,383,333.33, according to the report. He is one of two Orlando City players, including Sacha Kljestan, receiving at least $1 million in total compensation this season.
Kljestan’s total compensation is $1,100,000.04.
Following Kaká’s retirement, Orlando City’s difference in player spending is massive.
Last season, the club spent $14,584,737.37 in total compensation. This season, that number is down to $8,981,657.53.
New centerback Lamine Sané is the thirdhighest paid player with the club. In total, four of the top 10 highest-paid players with the club are new to Orlando City.
New winger Justin Meram got a pretty big raise, too. Last season with the Columbus Crew, he made $328,750. With Orlando City, he’s making $250,008 more for a total salary of $578,758.
Defensive midfielder Cristian Higuita also received a huge raise, from $286,666.67 in 2017 to $581,663.67 this season.
Young designated player Josué Colmán is the club’s 16th highest-paid player with a salary of $150,000.