MLS 2022 salaries analysis: Highest earners, balance across teams and players

Chicago Fire attacker Xherdan Shaqiri is the new highest-paid player in Major League Soccer — at least for now. According to the release, the average guaranteed compensation for all MLS players is $472,008, a 14 percent increase from last fall’s average of $413,998. By team Atlanta, Galaxy leading the way Atlanta United is spending more on salaries than any other MLS team, with the club committing nearly $21 million in guaranteed compensation to players in 2022. New England and Chicago round out the top five spenders, though the Revolution’s total is inflated by the MLSPA listing Altidore’s guaranteed compensation at more than $4 million. MLS spending balance by team Team Top paid % ➡️ top 1 % ➡️ top 3 % ➡️ top 5 Atlanta Josef Martínez 19.7 49.6 63.6 Austin ​​Sebastian Driussi 16.9 41.4 53.5 Charlotte Karol Świderski 21.1 38 49.7 Chicago Xherdan Shaqiri 46.2 67.2 77.8 Cincinnati Luciano Acosta 16.1 41.3 57.5 Colorado Gyasi Zardes 13.6 27.8 40 Columbus Lucas Zelarayan 24.7 44.1 55.4 Dallas Franco Jara 21.5 40.1 53.6 D.C. Edison Flores 13.9 39.2 53.1 Houston Sebastian Ferreira 17.1 36.3 47.4 LAFC Carlos Vela 27.8 44 56.6 Galaxy Javier Hernandez 29.2 51.9 60.9 Miami Gonzalo Higuain 30.7 56.4 66.4 Minnesota Adrien Hunou 20.9 36.7 49.2 Montreal Victor Wanyama 23.9 40.4 50.6 Nashville Hany Mukhtar 14 36.6 52.3 NE Jozy Altidore 23.5 57.8 69.5 NYCFC Thiago Martins 12.6 28.7 43 NYRB Ashley Fletcher 13.4 33.1 47.8 Orlando Ercan Kara 16.2 36.2 51 Philadelphia Mikael Uhre 13.4 30.6 45.6 Portland Yimmi Chara 15.9 39.7 54.9 RSL Damir Kreilach 14.8 31.5 44.3 San Jose Jamiro Monteiro 11.2 30.2 44.3 Seattle Nicolas Lodeiro 19.2 49 64.7 KC Alan Pulido 16.1 39.1 53.3 Toronto Alejandro Pozuelo 30.8 56.2 69.7 Vancouver Ryan Gauld 19 38 48.1 While the Fire have shown far greater ambition under Joe Mansueto than in the recent past, their outlay comes to an outsized extent at the top of their roster.