An impending paradigm change is going to have far-reaching consequences for every team in the Major League Soccer (MLS) market. The addition of superstars like Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba marked a turning point for MLS, which has started to attract more A-list players from across the globe since this year. What seems […]

Frank Lampard was the worst Designated Player signing in MLS history. Then, he got on the field. Since making his first start of the 2016 season on June 18th at Yankee Stadium against the Philadelphia Union, Lampard has scored nine times in ten games over a stretch in which NYCFC has gone 6-2-2 and vaulted […]

After weeks of speculation, Major League Soccer revealed on Wednesday a new funding mechanism intended to encourage clubs to invest in players that cost more than the league’s maximum salary budget charge of $436,250. In essence, the league is enticing its teams to utilize both of their Designated Player slots in exchange for $100,000 of […]

Finances are always a hot button in any sport, and American soccer is no different. With a sometimes controversial system that is quite unique in an international world of football, Major League Soccer continues to do business with a salary cap that helps to keep teams from getting caught in a spiral of overspending. Previous […]

On Tuesday, Major League Soccer announced that they will be making a change in the Designated Player Rules for the 2012 season. The rules will be augmented to allow overseas players under the age of 23 to sign as Designated Players with a reduced cap hit to the team. For those who are under 20, […]

The weekly MLS Talk podcast (subscribe via iTunes) discussed this week among other things the newest international star giving "come hither" looks to the American soccer league: AC Milan's Clarence Seedorf.  Seedorf of course is (reportedly) looking to make one last huge paycheck and expand his media presence, similar to Thierry Henry and everyone's favorite […]

Overlooked in the American World Cup hype was the move by Seattle to sign their young striker Freddy Montero to an extension which also makes him a designated player.  Montero, 23, becomes Seattle's third DP, joining Blaise Nkufo and Alvaro Fernandez.  More importantly, the signing prevents the young talent and 2009 Rookie of the Year […]

I suspect you've all heard by now about the rule change in MLS regarding Designated Players. Here is the transcript of the press conference in which the changes were outlined in detail by Todd Durbin of MLS. One thing that emerges from this is the heightened importance of one of the leagues more arcane intricacies, […]

Yesterday Ives Galarcep reported that New England, a notoriously tight fisted club when it comes to finances may be ready to use their Designated Player spot. But it appears Kansas City may be first to use their DP slot. Keep in mind Kansas City also has a large sum of allocation money sitting thanks to […]

Landon Donovan/AP Major League Soccer has made several efforts in the past few seasons to eliminate the appearance of favoritism towards certain clubs that was often alleged in the early seasons of the league. Many fans of clubs in the league had what in my mind were legitimate gripes against clubs such as the Metrostars […]

A great article by Frank Dell'Apa on Soccernet.com.