Soccer

MLS teams starting to spend money to keep big-name players

MLS has spent much of its existence obsessed with trying to avoid the overspending that killed the old NASL, using a salary cap to suppress payrolls and ensure survival. But, with interest in the league growing and a new collective bargaining agreement looming, the league finally has started to loosen its purse strings, and invest in itself.

In last summer’s transfer window and this winter’s — from the midway point of last season to now — MLS has brought in an influx of high-priced Designated Players, most of them returning U.S. National Team players.

The league’s biggest names — Red Bulls captain Thierry Henry and U.S. star Landon Donovan — agree that last point is the most important.

“You have to give credit to a lot of teams in this league to bring those guys back,’’ said Henry, a French star who said bringing back U.S. standouts is key. “It speaks volumes to see [Michael] Bradley, [Maurice] Edu, Clint Dempsey coming back, when they could have found a team in Europe, especially Michael Bradley, in a great situation at Roma. He decided to come here. He wanted to come back.

“That tells me this league is becoming more and more competitive. Clint Dempsey started it by coming back. Bringing your best talent back home is good. It’s how you start. … It’s good for the league to bring your talent back. PSG is trying it in France. That’s what you do; you start with your guys. You guys break out stories on me or [David] Beckham, that’s important, but for me, this is more important.’’

After MLS brought Dempsey to Seattle from Tottenham last August, this offseason saw Philadelphia take Edu on loan from Stoke City, and Toronto FC splurge to add Bradley, England National Team hopeful Jermain Defoe and Brazilian keeper Julio Cesar. That’s an impressive infusion of talent, and whether or not it’s good for the U.S. National Team, it clearly bodes well for MLS.

“It’s an interesting time,” Donovan said. “I think you guys feel a swell of momentum around our league. That’s special, fun be part of. It’s almost surreal to see Michael walking around here, for a guy who spent his career in Europe.

“I’m excited for the games. Every time you go somewhere, there’s a real feel around the games, whereas before it was just a couple. It’s vital. There were so many games during the year where you [couldn’t] get excited about, no storylines, nothing to write about, nothing to talk about. Now every game has something to get excited about.’’

It hasn’t come for free. MLS had to invest more heavily in high-end player acquisitions than at any point in recent memory, but that should have fans and sponsors excited.

“It’s just another example about how this league continues to grow,” Bradley said. “If you look at our team, Jermain Defoe, who at 31 is trying to make the England World Cup team. Toronto is the place for him. Julio Cesar chose MLS and Toronto, and he’s playing for a chance to win the World Cup with the home country. He chose MLS as well. The league is going to grow in so many ways.”

Bringing Dempsey back cost about $33 million according to SI.com. As surprising as that move was, Toronto’s acquisition of Bradley was far more shocking. They spent a $10 million transfer fee to pry arguably the U.S. National Team’s best player back from Serie A side Roma, considered a big club.

Toronto coughed up roughly the same to land Defoe, and — between transfer fees and salary — spent almost $100 million on the duo, before adding Julio Cesar. To paraphrase, players have told MLS to show them the money, and — with new television negotiations around the corner — the league has responded.

“I think the league understands its time they spent more on players,’’ Donovan said. “People are getting real excited about it and the product on the field has to match that excitement. I think the league understands. It should be real interesting at the new collective bargaining agreement.

“When Real Salt Lake with a payroll of $3 million is playing Monterrey with a payroll of $25, 30 million, there’s only so much you can do. I know it’s un-American to say, but when a team with a $3 million payroll is playing a team with a payroll of $30 million, the team with the $3 million isn’t likely to win.”

Donovan was alluding to Real Salt Lake’s run to the CONCACAF Champions League final, when they lost in the 2011 final against Monterrey. At the time, MLS’ salary cap was $2.675 million, while the Mexican team’s payroll was estimated at anywhere from three to five times greater.

MLS might be closing that gap slowly, but they are closing it inexorably; and the talent gap with it. The U.S. team that played in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa had just four MLS players on the roster. The squad that goes to Brazil this summer could have as many as seven starters from the league.

“You dream of a day where MLS players don’t have to go overseas to chase money,” said San Jose defender Clarence Goodson, a U.S. National Team defender who had played in Norway and Denmark since 2007 before returning to MLS this season.

“Look at guys at Barcelona, Arsenal and [Manchester] United: They don’t have to leave. They play their whole career there. With packages [MLS puts] together for players, they make it so you don’t want to leave. I had the desire to go overseas and make it, and I’m proud of my decision. But what they have going on right now is very special, and it wasn’t always that way.’’

Granted, it might run counter to U.S. national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s desire his players not only ply their trade in Europe but work toward getting on Champions League teams to hone their craft. Whether or not the reverse migration from Europe to MLS benefits the U.S. National Team, it clearly benefits the league, and the American players in it.

“It’s a testament as to how far the league has come,’’ said Seattle’s Brad Evans. “You see a shift, to be honest. Money is up there with the motivations to come back, and money talks.’’