Major League Soccer may be lacking the popularity that football has in Europe, but the clubs are certainly willing to spend as much as their UEFA counterparts to land some of the world’s top talents.
In this feature, we present the top 10 MLS salaries.
The fact that MLS outfits like LA Galaxy and NYC FC were able to pry such Premier League mainstays as Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard away from England is further proof that they’re willing to spend themselves into popularity in the United States.
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Here are the top 10 highest-paid MLS stars (stats from the Metro):
10 – Clint Dempsey, Seattle Sounders (£2.54m)
The top scorer in the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Dempsey had 15 goals back in 2014 and is a scoring machine when he’s healthy. Seven goals for Seattle plus seven goals for the USMNT have made the 32-year-old into one of America’s most popular stars.
9 – Giovani Dos Santos, LA Galaxy (£2.6m)
Tottenham fans remember Dos Santos as a flop, but several solid seasons in Mallorca and Villarreal earned him a major contract with the LA Galaxy back in July. His arrival capped an incredible spending spree by the LA outfit.
8 – Robbie Keane, LA Galaxy (£2.93m)
Few over-the-hill stars have given an MLS team more bang for their buck than Robbie Keane. With two hat tricks, three player of the week awards and 15 goals on the season, Keane is more than earning his paycheck for the Galaxy.
7 – Jozy Altidore, Toronto FC (£3.1m)
After an underwhelming two seasons at Sunderland, Toronto took a gamble on the 25-year-old striker and saw it pay off immensely. Altidore has 10 goals on the season so far, second only to Sebastian Giovinco, as Toronto have emerged as the highest-scoring team in MLS.
6 – Sebastian Giovinco, Toronto FC (£3.65m)
The former Juventus superstar hasn’t lost a step since moving to Toronto and is poised to win the league MVP award after a season with 19 goals (2nd) and 14 assists (1st). He may be a force in MLS for several years to come.
5 – David Villa, NYC FC (£3.65m)
One of the greatest forwards in Spain’s history, David Villa has become a superstar at the new NYC FC. His 16 goals to date are 3rd in the league and his eight assists are in the top 10. Money well spent for a city that loves to spend.
4 – Michael Bradley, Toronto FC (£3.91m)
Still in his prime, Bradley earned a major deal from a Toronto club looking to make some noise in Major League Soccer, but the midfield ace hasn’t contributed much in the way of goals – which is what Toronto really need.
3 – Frank Lampard, NYC FC (£3.91m)
The Chelsea & Man City superstar decided to move to the Empire State rather than hang up the cleats or move to a smaller club. Lampard proved his worth with a much-needed goal in a 2-0 win against Toronto FC.
2 – Steven Gerrard, LA Galaxy (£4.01m)
It took a lot of money to pry the over-the-hill Gerrard away from Liverpool while he still has a year or two left in him. But it’s helped – the Galaxy now have the 2nd highest goal differential in MLS.
1 – Kaka, Orlando City SC (£4.3m)
Once a Galactico with Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid XI, Kaka has become the face of one of the most highly-attended clubs in MLS. This season Kaka has nine goals and has helped the first-year MLS club become a major contender – but the playoffs appear set to elude them.