Brotherly Game Archive
Union player salaries 2018: Philadelphia increase by 24 percent but still aren’t keeping pace with league’s big spenders
Bulk of increase is going to high-profile signings Bořek Dočkal and David Accam
Bořek Dočkal and David Accam’s arrival in the off-season signaled that the Philadelphia Union front office was willing to increase spending on players but their lackluster performance so far has shown that neither came at a bargain.
Dočkal is the highest paid player on the payroll, according to salary information released by the Major League Soccer Players Association on Thursday, at $1,714,285.68 million in guaranteed compensation, followed by Alejandro Bedoya at $1,266,250.00 and David Accam at $1,250,000.04.
Their addition to the Union payroll is a big reason why the team is spending 24 percent more than they were last season, an increase of $1.7 million dollars to nearly $9 million in player salaries. That puts them 15th in the league with Vancouver Whitecaps, Minnesota United, San Jose Earthquakes, New York Red Bulls, Columbus Crew, New England Revolution, DC United and Houston Dynamo all spending less.
Accam, who was welcomed by a swarm of fans at the airport after his arrival from Chicago, has yet to register a goal or an assist this season. Dočkal has a goal and an assist but he’s done so playing as the No. 10 in an offense that is dead last in goals with six through nine games and has been shut out in all four of its road games.
Last season, the highest paid players after Bedoya were Maurice Edu at $818,750 and Ilsinho at $518,333.33. The other high-end salaries jettisoned were Chris Pontius ($431,000) and Roland Alberg ($394,250).
Ilsinho was one of three players who took a pay cut to re-sign during the close season, going from the third highest paid to eighth at $327,000. Fabinho (from $167,759 to $153,000) and Fabian Herbers (from $135,500 on a Generation adidas contract to $100,008) were the others.
Jay Simpson remains the fourth highest paid and by far the biggest bust on the team and most likely the entire league at $623,341.33, which is an increase of $115,008 over what he was guaranteed last season. He’s played just 39 minutes this season and has one goal in 22 appearances since arriving before the 2017 season from the English third division.
Both Andre Blake and CJ Sapong received a bump in salary after negotiating new deals. Blake’s guaranteed compensation went up $313,500 to $500,000 and Sapong’s by $225,000 to $525,000, which makes him the third highest paid keeper in the league. Only USMNT veterans Brad Guzan ($700,008) and Tim Howard ($2,475,000) now earn more than the Jamaican international, who was 12th among goalkeepers in salary last season.
On the low end of the salary chart, homegrown left back Matthew Real is making $54,500.04, followed by second year winger Marcus Epps and reserve goalkeeper Jake McGuire both at $55,654.20.
Jack Elliott remains one of the biggest bargains in the league (the international roster spot he’s taking up aside) at $59,629.50 while his center back partner is the highest paid of the homegrowns on the team with $109,100 guaranteed.
Below is the full list of salaries for all 29 players on the Union’s first team roster and a list of the total guaranteed compensation per team.
