TFC's Bradley, Insigne take pay cuts on 2023 MLS salary list

The MLS Players Association's release of the 2023 salary list Tuesday raised a few questions on the topic of Toronto FC.

TFC's Italian star Lorenzo Insigne, who led Major League Soccer with a salary of US$14 million last season, is No. 2 this year at $7.5 million (behind Chicago's Xherdan Shaqiri at $8.15 million). And Toronto captain Michael Bradley, who earned $1.5 million last season, is making $614,826 this year.

TFC did not immediately offer an answer on the change in Insigne's paycheque. But Bradley volunteered to take the salary cut.

Jason Hernandez, Toronto's assistant general manager and former teammate of Bradley's with TFC, said the 35-year-old skipper approached the club in the off-season offering to restructure his contract and take less money to give the team more resources to bolster the roster.

"That gave us the ability to go after not only one MLS free agent, but multiple (free agents)," said Hernandez.

"That's Michael for you," he added.

TFC subsequently signed goalkeeper Sean Johnson ($683,013) and defenders Matt Hedges ($908,859), Sigurd Rosted ($768,636) and Raoul Petretta ($856,625).

"All of those guys being in, call it the TAM (targeted allocation money) kind of bandwidth of player that we just otherwise wouldn't have been able to do had Michael been on the number that he was last year," said Hernandez.

Targeted allocation money is an MLS salary cap mechanism that was established to bring top players into the league without using a designated player spot (clubs are allowed three DPs). While there is no limit to what DPs can get paid (only $651,250 of which counts against the salary budget), the maximum salary this season under TAM rules is $1,652,250 million (with a minimum of $651,250).

Attacking midfielder Ryan Gauld leads the Vancouver Whitecaps salary list at $2.5 million while Victor Wanyama tops the CF Montreal pay scale at $1.8 million.

The MLSPA salary numbers are as of April 30.

Fellow Italian Federico Bernardeschi is second on the TFC payroll at $6,295,381 (compared to $6,256,322 last season). Midfielder Jonathan Osorio is third at $1.4 million, followed by fellow Canadian Richie Laryea at $1.277 million.

Bernardeschi's pay ranks fourth in the league, behind Javier (Chicharito) Hernandez of the Los Angeles Galaxy at $7.44 million.

At the other end of the pay scale, eight TFC players make less than $100,000.

Bradley went from being a designated player to a TAM player when he signed his current contact in December 2019 which covers three years plus an option at $1.5 million per season.

At the time, Bradley said money was not a driving force at this stage of his career.

“Playing here, winning here, it means more,” he said in 2019.

Bradley's salary of $1.5 million last season was fourth-highest on the team behind Insigne, Bernardeschi and now departed Italian Domenico Cristico (US$1.51 million).

Bradley's 2022 pay ranked 59th in the league.

"Think about what he means to us, what's he's done for us," said Hernandez. "I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a long list of players who are as decorated as he is, especially at this place, and voluntarily say 'I'm willing to reduce my wage if it gives the club the best chance at adding pieces and being successful.' I haven't experienced that very much in my time."

Under the restructured deal, Bradley has the option to return next season at the same pay as this year, said Hernandez. His 2019 deal would have expired at the end of this season.

The veteran midfielder made a total of $39 million over his initial six-year contract with Toronto that expired after the 2019 season. Bradley ranked second only to Zlatan Ibrahimovic in MLS pay in 2019.

Toronto had planned to announced Bradley's restructured contract on the occasion of his 300th appearance for the club in all competitions. Had he been healthy, that would have been April 22 in Philadelphia.

But Bradley has not seen action since an April 8 game in Nashville. He had played every minute this season prior to the injury, which snapped a run of 42 consecutive league starts.

Bradley is expected to miss the next eight to 10 weeks after undergoing a procedure on his hamstring in England on the weekend. The procedure will be done by Dr. Ernest Schilders, considered a world-leading expert in adductor and groin problems in athletes.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 16, 2023.