Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s departure from Major League Soccer and some new arrivals in the offseason have seen a shake-up in the league’s list of highest paid players. MLS is often cited as a league aging stars seek out for one last big contract along with being a launching pad for young players.
The league’s reputation will continue in 2020 as kickoff nears. MLS’s new highest paid player Javier Hernandez will lead the LA Galaxy up against the Houston Dynamo in Week 1 of the season. Fans can use the Librabet mobile app before wagering on the team they pick to win.
Hernandez has overtaken former Galaxy striker Ibrahimovic’s status as MLS’s highest paid player. Which players join the Mexican star as the league’s biggest earners for 2020
5. Alejandro Pozuelo, $3.8 million – Toronto FC
Toronto FC forward Alejandro Pozuelo enters the 2020 season as the fifth highest paid player in the league thanks to some departures from last term. Pozuelo joined Toronto FC in 2019 from Belgium’s Genk as a Designated Player. The 28-year-old playmaker was the club’s answer to the hole left by Sebastian Giovinco’s departure. Pozuelo helped lead Toronto FC to the MLS Cup final 14 goals and 10 assists in the regular season and playoffs.
4. Carlos Vela, $6.3 million – Los Angeles FC
Carlos Vela became the face of Los Angeles FC when the club signed him ahead of the 2018 season. The former Arsenal striker has been one of the league’s best players since arriving and is well worth his salary in a city full of sports stars. Vela scored 34 goals in 31 MLS games in 2019 to set a single-season record. He also took home the league’s MVP award.
3. Jozy Altidore, $6.33 million – Toronto FC
Jozy Altidore is Toronto FC’s second entrant on the list of highest paid players for 2020 in MLS. Since moving to the Canadian club from Sunderland in 2015, Altidore has been one of the league’s best strikers. Now 30-years-old, Altidore is coming off of a 12-goal season in 25 games in all competitions. His goals scored have declined in each of the last two seasons. Altidore has bagged 71 goals in 147 MLS career matches.
2. Michael Bradley, $6.5 million – Toronto FC
Toronto FC’s Michael Bradley is the third Reds player to make the top five. The American international is one of the club’s three designated players and has been a major contributor since joining from Roma in 2014. Bradley scored just three goals and added one assist in 2019, but his play is much more than goals and assist. Bradley played 31 times for Reds to help lead them to the MLS Cup final.
1. Javier Hernandez, $7.2 million – LA Galaxy
Hernandez takes top spot on this year’s list of highest paid MLS players. The former Manchester United star should be a big hit in Los Angeles thanks to his natural goalscoring instinct. Hernandez has long been on the must-have list of MLS and the LA Galaxy. Just 31, Hernandez still has a few good years left in his legs and could rival Landon Donovan as the Galaxy’s all-time leading scorer with 113 MLS goals by the time he finishes.
