The Players Association of Major League Soccer released its annual Salary Guide for the 2022 season on Tuesday.
, how much players will make in guaranteed compensation, including bonuses, housing, transportation and other amenities, as well as their base salary.
There are 841 players on Major League Soccer contracts across 28 teams. With all of their compensation provided, it allows us to see how the Colorado Rapids stack up on a player-by-player basis. With some quick math, it also provides a look at the overall budget.
Let’s take a deep dive into the Colorado Rapids.
The Rapids as of April 15, had a payroll of $11,390,900 — the fourth-smallest budget in Major League Soccer. Last year Colorado spent roughly $9,890,000 on a team that won the Western Conference regular season.
The smallest spenders in 2022 were Real Salt Lake under new owners ($10.47 million). in MLS were Atlanta United at $20.99 million, followed by LAFC at $20.33 million.
The highest-paid player is the Chicago Fire’s Xherdan Shaqiri, with the former Liverpool FC man guaranteed a salary of $8.1 million. Second is Javier Hernandez at $6 million with LA Galaxy.
Back within the friendly confines of Colorado’s front office, there is a clear approach to spending: balance at every end of the pitch. Of the $11.39 million the Rapids spent on player salaries, 35.87% was devoted to the back line and goalkeepers; 34.84% was spent on midfielders, wingbacks and wingers; while 29.27% was spent on the forwards.
Colorado spent 40.14% of its entire 2022 payroll on the following five players, totaling $4,571,959.00:
• Gyasi Zardes will make $1,550,000 in guaranteed compensation — 13.6% of the entire budget. That means Colorado spent 15.67% on its seven listed forwards (now down to six), including leading goal-scorer Diego Rubio ($629,583), who did not receive a salary increase from 2021 and will be on the books through the end of 2023.
• Auston Trusty, 23, will earn $890,292. However, Colorado will not have to pay all of it as he is transferring to Arsenal in July. Last year he earned $431,250, a wage increase of 106% for 2022.
• Jack Price, the team captain, will earn $725,000 after he signed a two-year deal in January through 2023, with club options for 2024 and 2025.
• New midfielder Bryan Acosta will make $706,667, a slight pay raise from his time with FC Dallas.
• Fresh off of a four-year contract extension through 2025, Mark-Anthony Kaye is now making $700,000. The 27-year-old Canadian international had the highest increase in wages currently playing for Colorado, up 183% from 2021 and 193% from 2020 ($238,438 with LAFC that year). He spent four seasons making his way through the USL, most recently with Louisville City in 2017.
Other notes that stood out in the Salary Guide release: The Rapids spent just over $1 million on eight Homegrown players, only 8.9% of its payroll. Much of that will go to Cole Bassett, who signed a new deal to bring his total salary up to $450,000, a 278% increase before proceeding to depart in January on an 18-month loan to Feyenoord in the Netherlands. The Rapids will still cover his salary during this period. The only other Homegrown Player to hit six figures is Highlands Ranch native Sebastian Anderson ($106,667).
Colorado spent $3.1 million on seven new players in 2022, including Acosta, Gustavo Vallecilla ($344,880) and Max ($293,360).
William Yarbrough ($375,000 in guaranteed compensation) is the 17th-highest-paid goalkeeper in the league, with five shutouts in 2022, currently second-best in MLS, on top of his 13 from 2021, also tied for second-most in MLS. He had the fourth-most saves (107) and second highest save-percentage (76.81%) among goalkeepers who made at least 10 appearances during the 2021 season.
There are 11 Coloradans on MLS contracts on five teams, six of whom play for the Rapids, with salaries that total $1,945,584. A second MLS PA Salary Guide will be released in September after the final trade window of 2022.
