Didier Drogba took wage cut to join Montréal Impact
Montréal Impact forward Didier Drogba left Premier League side Chelsea for a comparatively modest contract in Major League Soccer.
Drogba is scheduled to make $1,666,668 in base salary and $2,166,668 in guaranteed compensation in 2015, according to documents released by the MLS Players Union on Tuesday.
Those figures -- released as part of an update of all salaries issued by the Players Union after the MLS roster freeze deadline on Sept. 15 -- fall well short of top earner Kaka ($6.66 million in base salary), plus Premier League contemporaries Steven Gerrard ($6.2 million) and Frank Lampard ($6 million).
Drogba’s salary punctuated the list of wages released for players who arrived in the league after the previous update in July.
Seattle Sounders splashed the cash on Panama captain Roman Torres ($438,000) and Paraguay forward Nelson Haedo Valdez ($960,000), while Real Salt Lake tempted Juan Manuel Martinez away from Boca Juniors by offering him the highest salary at the club ($710,000).
New York Red Bulls reinforced their side by landing Gonzalo Veron from San Lorenzo ($200,000) and sealed a bargain move for ex-England winger Shaun Wright-Phillips ($116,004) to bring him to MLS.
TOP 10 HIGHEST EARNERS IN MLS
| PLAYER |
CLUB |
GUARANTEED COMPENSATION |
| Kaka | Orlando City | $7,167,500 |
| Sebastian Giovinco |
Toronto FC | $7,115,555.67 |
| Michael Bradley | Toronto FC |
$6,500,000 |
| Steven Gerrard | LA Galaxy | $6,332,504 |
| Frank Lampard | New York City FC |
$6,000,000 |
| Giovani dos Santos |
LA Galaxy | $5,750,008 |
| David Villa | New York City FC | $5,610,000 |
| Jozy Altidore |
Toronto FC | $4,750,000 |
| Clint Dempsey | Seattle Sounders | $4,605,941.50 |
| Robbie Keane | LA Galaxy | $4,500,000 |
