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Final 2024 Sporting KC Salaries Released

The final salary release data from the MLSPA for 2024 is out, including salaries for new Sporting KC signings and a few changes in pay.

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Credit: Thad Bell

It’s that time of the year again. Actually, a little later in the year than usual. The final release of Major League Soccer’s (MLS) salary data came out today from the MLS Players Association (MLSPA). Before looking at the updated 2024 data (which is at the bottom if you want to jump straight to that), it’s useful to look at prior data points for Sporting Kansas City.

Some Caveats

The salary data always brings a lot of scrutiny, but there are a couple things worth noting. First, this does not include transfer fees. If a fee is paid for a player, it won’t show up in these numbers. Sporting Kansas City haven’t paid a fee since Dany Rosero was signed in early 2023, so it doesn’t impact SKC much. Second, there are two salary numbers: base salary and guaranteed compensation. The guaranteed number feels more accurate because it includes any pro-rated signing bonuses spread out over the life of the contract. We’ll use that number going forward.

Without getting too deep into the weeds, there are a couple roster designations that add some context to these salaries. The team has three Designated Players (DPs) and two U-22 Initiative Players. In 2024, the DPs only count for $683,750 against the cap (no matter their salary or transfer fee) and the U-22 players only count for $200,000 (no matter their salary or transfer fee). Some U-22 players count for $150,000, but Sporting KC don’t have any of those. In 2025, that number for DPs will climb, as it’s always 12.5 percent of the salary budget, which will also climb.

New Signings

The second release of salary information is most exciting to know about what the new signings are getting paid. This summer, Sporting KC only added one player in the secondary transfer window, center back Joaquin Fernandez. His base salary comes in at a cool $1 million but the guaranteed compensation is a bit higher at $1,072,083. That makes him the fifth highest paid player on the team behind Alan Pulido, Nemanja Radoja, Daniel Salloi and Erik Thommy.

The release also dropped a bit of a surprise. 16-year-old SKC Academy product Ian James is listed, showing he has signed a first team contract. He’s on a minimum contract, which would make sense as a Homegrown signing. He clocks in at $75,999 in guaranteed compensation. We contacted Sporting KC and more on that news is coming soon. If you haven’t heard of James, he played a bit for SKC II and was covered in our Sporting KC II season recap.

Salary Changes

The end of season salary release rarely has a lot of salary changes listed in it. However, one name at the top of the list is worth noting. Alan Pulido’s base salary remains unchanged, but his guaranteed compensation climbed by over $250,000, up to $3.87 million. It could have been built in bonuses or a raise built into the structure of the deal. Regardless, the number looks bad after a very down year from Pulido who struggled to return to the dominance he showed in 2023.

Memo Rodriguez’s compensation also ticked up ever so slightly by a couple thousand dollars. The only other changes are the removal of players who are no longer with the team: Felipe Hernandez, Marinos Tzionis and Kayden Pierre.

Final 2024 Sporting KC Salary Data

First NameLast NamePosition(s)Base SalaryGuaranteed Compensation
AlanPulidoCenter Forward$3,600,000.00$3,866,667.00
NemanjaRadojaDefensive Midfield$1,440,000.00$1,530,000.00
DánielSallóiLeft Wing$1,300,000.00$1,300,000.00
ErikThommyAttacking Midfield$1,000,000.00$1,106,250.00
JoaquínFernándezCenter-back$1,000,000.00$1,072,083.00
JohnnyRussellRight Wing$1,000,000.00$1,000,000.00
RémiWalterCentral Midfield$900,000.00$900,000.00
KhirySheltonCenter Forward$700,000.00$750,000.00
TimMeliaGoalkeeper$625,000.00$637,500.00
TimLeiboldLeft-back$600,000.00$601,050.00
WillyAgadaCenter Forward$475,000.00$521,875.00
DanyRoseroCenter-back$510,000.00$510,000.00
RobertVoloderCenter-back$450,000.00$477,860.00
AndreuFontàsCenter-back$450,000.00$450,000.00
LoganNdenbeLeft-back$400,000.00$405,000.00
JohnPulskampGoalkeeper$200,000.00$223,500.00
JakeDavisRight-back$120,000.00$120,000.00
RobertCastellanosCenter-back$115,000.00$115,000.00
MemoRodríguezLeft Midfield$89,716.00$100,682.00
ZorhanBassongLeft-back$89,716.00$99,953.00
OzzieCisnerosCentral Midfield$89,716.00$92,716.00
IanJamesCenter-back$71,401.00$75,999.00
StephenAfrifaCenter Forward$71,401.00$71,401.00
DannyFloresCentral Midfield$71,401.00$71,401.00
ChrisRindovCenter-back$71,401.00$71,401.00
RyanScheweGoalkeeper$71,401.00$71,401.00
AlenisVargasRight Wing$71,401.00$71,401.00

The positions are provided by the MLSPA and unaltered.

I've been covering Kansas City soccer since 2014, including Sporting Kansas City, the KC Current, SKC II and more. I'm based out of Kansas City, MO, but got my start covering SKC while writing from Phoenix, AZ.

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Joe Pacheco

The money doesn’t match performance!!!

StillaSKCfan

They’re paying Fernández a million dollar salary!!! The only thing I saw him do was the single worse own goal this season (or maybe ever…) 

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