Robbie Keane will earn $4.5 million for LA Galaxy in 2014, up from the $4.3 million he pocketed last year.
Despite the pay increase, Keane drops a place in the best-paid list, from second to fourth, because of Toronto FC's big-spending joint acqusition of Jermain Defoe from Tottenham and US international Michael Bradley from AS Roma.
They will both receive a $6 million a year base salary, but they will be pipped to top spot by Seattle's Clint Dempsey because his "guaranteed compensation" brings him up to 6.7 million, from a base of $4.9 million. Guaranteed salaries for Bradley and Defoe are $6.5 million and $6.18 million respectively.
According to the MLS Players Union, the difference between the “base” and “guaranteed” numbers has to do with bonuses for signing, marketing and agent’s fees.
Landon Donovan makes up the top five with $4.25 million base/$4.58 million guaranteed.
Regardless of his slight slip down the MLS big-money rankings, Keane's 86 grand a week - base and guaranteed - is a handy few bob for plying his trade Stateside.
A bit further down the scale Andy O'Brien, the former Irish international centre half, got a pay rise from the Vanvcouver Whitecaps. He stands to earn $280,000 guaranteed, up from a curiously exact $200,012.04 last year.
O'Brien is best remembered these days for getting sent off against Israel in 2005 despite showing admirable restraint by not rearranging Dudu Aouate's facial features in the frustrating 2-2 draw at Lansdowne Road.
Just for perspective, if your calculator isn't working, O'Brien gets $5,300 a week, while Defoe's hole-sickening weekly pay is around 118k. Just think about that for a second.
The median salary for the league is a better indicator of the state of play for the non-designated players (DPs). 2014 sees the highest median salary yet, at $8,000. The average salary is up from 2013 too, to $40,000, but mostly because of Toronto FC's big spending.
The highest-earning non-DP is New England Revolution centre half José Gonçalves who has a $450,000 base salary. Houston Dynamo midfielder Alex López is the lowest-paid DP, at $90,000 base salary.
