Major League Soccer continues to grow and so does player wages, the biggest spenders in MLS continue to be Toronto FC at a budget of $27.5 million, the LA Galaxy are on a budget of $23.5 million, and Atlanta United are at $21.3 million, ironically none of the top spenders can claim to be the best teams in the league.
The team who spends the least on their roster is CF Montréal at a lowly $10.5 million when compared to what some mid-level teams spend in leagues like LaLiga or Serie A.
Here are the top earners of MLS for the 2023 season, it is important to note figures include compensation from each player’s contract with MLS. They do not include any compensation from any contracts with individual teams or their affiliates.
25. Alan Pulido – $2,200,000.00
Alan Pulido (Getty Images)
Mexican Alan Pulido has been stop and go in MLS, but when on Pulido is a top player in the league and this season has been a shining light on a poor Sporting KC side.
24. Evander – $2,230,000.00
Evander (Getty Images)
Portland Timbers Evander is the attacker the club has been looking for in a post Diego Valeri world, starting off with 4 goals in his first 9 games the Brazilian is off to a great start in MLS after spending a lot of time in Danish soccer.
23. Karol Swiderski – $2,258,000.00
Karol Swiderski (MLS)
Polish striker Karol Swiderski has hit the ground running in MLS with 13 goals in 38 matches as of May 15th for the expansion club Charlotte FC.
22. Thiago Almada – $2,332,000.00
Thiago Almada (Atlanta United)
Argentine World Cup winner and highlight reel player Thiago Almada is the league’s biggest incoming signing and he could be the most expensive outgoing player. Almada is said to be commanding a transfer fee between $30-40 million.
21. Ryan Gauld – $2,505,000.00
Ryan Gauld (Getty Images)
Scottish midfielder Ryan Gauld has been a standout player for the often down and out Whitecaps. 14 goals and 15 assists in 66 matches for the former Hibs man as of May 15th.
20. Gustavo Bou – $2,675,000.00
Gustavo Bou (Getty Images)
Argentine Gustavo Bou had a disappointing 2022 but started 2023 on a better foot. At 33 and with rumors of a possible return to Argentina, Bou may not make it to the end of the season as Bruce Arena searches for younger options.
19. Cucho Hernández – $2,886,000.00
Cucho Hernández (Crew)
Colombian striker Cucho Hernández has been a huge spark for the Crew, with 10 goals in 22 matches as of May 15th, look for Cucho to continue to be a threat on opposing defenders.
18. Jozy Altidore – $2,939,963.00
Jozy Altidore (Getty Images)
Jozy Altidore shockingly is still one of MLS’ most expensive players; all he has to show is 1 goal for the Revolution as of May 2023. Altidore has been one of the league’s most expensive players for nine seasons now.
17. Hany Mukhtar -$3,188,750.00
Hany Mukhtar (Getty Images)
Has there been a more explosive player in MLS than Hany Mukhtar? The MLS MVP has 100 games under his belt and an impressive 56 goals and 25 assists as of May 15th. Mukhtar has pace, vision, and European style finishing that simply elevates MLS.
16. Raúl Ruidíaz – $3,201,120.00
Raúl Ruidíaz (Getty Images)
The Peruvian striker has been solid for the Sounders, scoring in big games and accounting for 75 goals in 127 games since 2018. Winner of an MLS Cup and CCL with the Rave Green.
15. Nicolás Lodeiro – $3,256,667.00
Nicolás Lodeiro (Getty Images)
An institution at the Seattle Sounders, the Uruguayan playmaker continues to lead the club at 34. Lodeiro has two MLS Cups and a CCL on his CV, the Copa America winner also has played 205 games and recorded 57 goals and 60 assists for the Rave Green as of May 15th.
14. Carlos Vela – $3,337,500.00
Carlos Vela (Getty Images)
Vela took a pay cut to stay with the LAFC project and continues to be a main piece and face of the team. The best Mexican player to ever play in MLS, Vela won MLS Cup and is looking for a CCL title and has an impressive 85 goals, 49 assists in 155 games as of May 15th.
13. Rodolfo Pizarro – $3,350,000.00
Rodolfo Pizarro (Inter Miami)
Back at Inter Miami after rumored tension with former DP Gonzalo Higuaín. Pizarro has yet to play to his full potential and is getting a second chance to make good on everything MLS sold about him.
12. Carles Gil – $3,545,833.00
Carles Gil (Getty Images)
A jewel of a find by the New England Revolution staff, the Spanish international is a former league MVP and has 29 goals and 43 assists in 124 games for the Revs as of May 15th, the leader and brain of the team, Gil is a golden standard.
11. Lucas Zelarayán – $3,800,000.00
Lucas Zelarayán (Getty Images)
The explosive Lucas Zelarayán has been one of the greatest signings in Columbus Crew history. 35 goals and 20 assists in 95 games as of May 15th, an MLS Cup championship and still only 30, the best is yet to come for the now Armenian international.
10. Josef Martínez – $4,391,667.00
Josef Martínez (Getty Images)
Josef Martínez is getting paid for what he did in the past not what he has been as of late. The now Inter Miami striker scored his first 3 goals for the club in the last two games in May. The Venezuelan is slowly recapturing the level that made him one of the most feared strikers in MLS.
9. Christian Benteke – $4,432,778.00
Christian Benteke (DC United)
The Belgium international has been a huge spark for DC United as they are revitalizing the team under Wayne Rooney. Benteke has 6 goals in 18 games as of May 2023 and has been a constant threat in the attack for the four-time champions.
8. Luiz Araújo – $4,483,333.00
Luiz Araújo (MLS)
Atlanta United is still looking to get the most out of inconsistent midfielder Luiz Araújo, who came on a big transfer fee and has been sporadically good. Araújo has been sold to Flamengo and will leave the Five Stripes in June 2023.
7. Douglas Costa – $4,508,333.00
Douglas Costa (Galaxy)
Douglas Costa has been the center of the Galaxy supporters’ anger towards management. The 32-year-old former Juventus player has shown glimpses of what he can do, but it has not been enough to change the Galaxy’s fortunes.
6. Héctor Herrera – $5,246,875.00
Héctor Herrera (MLS)
The jury is still out on the signing of Mexican international Héctor Herrera, a player who is known more as a hard-working midfielder. 2 goals in 20 games since May 2023 are numbers no one should be shocked about, over $5 million in wages should be something that shocks given his age.
5. Sebastián Driussi – $6,022,500.00
Sebastián Driussi (Austin FC)
The Argentine forward has been one of the best signings of the league in recent history. Driussi got his big contract with Austin FC and is the face of the team, 34 goals in 65 games as of May 2023, if the former River Plate star can play anywhere close to his form in 2022, don’t be shocked if he gets called into the Argentine national team. He’s that good.
4. Federico Bernardeschi – $6,295,381.00
Federico Bernardeschi (Getty Images)
Federico Bernardeschi has been a huge standard for what it means to be a DP in MLS. Bernardeschi alone has won matches for the flaky Toronto FC and has 11 goals in 27 league games since May 2023. Elegance, decision making, and shooting potential, Bernardeschi has brought it all to MLS.
3. Javier Hernández – $7,443,750.00
Javier Hernández (Getty Images)
Say what you want but in the end Javier Hernández has been worth his big salary, 39 goals in 77 games as of May 2023 for some of the worst Galaxy teams in history can’t be overlooked. Chicharito is the face of the franchise, a franchise with no real clear direction.
2. Lorenzo Insigne – $7,500,000.00
Lorenzo Insigne (Getty Images)
Lorenzo Insigne is unofficially the highest paid player in all of MLS, his salary ultimately nets him $14 million a season. Insigne has shown his talent on a very poor Toronto FC side, without a proper supporting cast the former Napoli legend has been reduced to 8 goals in 19 matches since May 2023.
1. Xherdan Shaqiri – $8,153,000.00
Xherdan Shaqiri (Getty Images)
Still the league’s highest paid player, technically, Xherdan Shaqiri has been a huge disappointment in MLS, with only 7 goals in 36 matches as of May 2023. In Shaqiri’s defense the Chicago Fire have been a mess of a team with no clear direction moving forward. Still, you’d figure the highest paid player in a league would be providing much more.
