This is a holiday of sorts for me and writers like me. The MLS Players Association takes it upon themselves twice a year to do what the clubs in Major League Soccer don't really do — announce the salaries of all MLS players. While MLS is a salary cap league and what counts against a club isn't necessarily what's on the books, this release shows both the base salary and guaranteed salary for each player, giving us all an idea of how each club is building its roster and using the resources allotted to it.
Here's a look, then, at a few of the numbers potentially telling the story of Austin FC in 2023.
Gyasi Zardes
Base salary and calculated guaranteed compensation: $800,000
It's not the $1.5 million that Zardes was making in Colorado in 2022, but he's the highest-paid striker on the Verde roster, with Maxi Urruti getting $700,000 in base salary and $736,000 in guaranteed compensation, Moussa Djitté still on the books for $600,000, and Will Bruin pulling in $200,000.
Aleksandar Radovanovic
Base salary, $600,000; calculated guaranteed compensation, $692,500
If you were wondering if Radovanovic is starter caliber for Verde, his salary indicates he is – especially when compared to Leo Väisänen ($600,000 base, $654,500 guaranteed) and Julio Cascante ($620,000 base, $693,750 guaranteed). Whether this is prorated up until his current contract is up June 30 or for a full season's work if he gets renewed soon remains to be seen — at last week's post-training media session, Wolff indicated an extension was in the works but not yet final.
Diego Fagundez
Base salary, $1 million, calculated guaranteed compensation, $1,060,000
You might remember after the Houston match on March 18 that Wolff criticized Fagundez's play and mentioned the veteran getting a salary bump over the offseason. Now we know it's more than double the $450,000 he was making in 2022.
Brad Stuver
Base salary, $408,000, calculated guaranteed compensation, $430,813
Stuver also got a significant raise in 2023, moving from a $175,000 base salary and $185k compensation to his new tier, putting him just under the likes of fellow clutch goalkeepers Djordje Petrovic ($450,000) and Sean Johnson ($405,751 base, $683,013 guaranteed comp), but well below St. Louis' Roman Burki, at an astounding $1,500,000 base salary and $1,632,469 guaranteed compensation.
Sebastian Driussi
Base salary, $3,800,000, calculated guaranteed compensation, $6,022,500
Last year, Driussi was on $2,200,000 base salary and $2,317,000 guaranteed compensation. That's what an MVP-level 22 goals and seven assists, plus the chance to lock in as the face of the franchise, will do for your negotiating power.