Atlanta United paid 3rd most in salaries to finish with 2nd worst record
Atlanta United paid almost $28.5 million in player salaries to finish with the second worst record in MLS this season, according to information provided by the Major League Soccer Players Association on Wednesday.
Atlanta United’s 30 players received guaranteed compensation of $28,493,783, third most in MLS. The team finished with 28 points, which included one league win after May. Its total compensation increased from $27.6 million in May.
The total paid in salaries has almost doubled since October 2024, when it paid a guaranteed compensation of $15.2 million.
The team’s per-player average salary in the October totals was $949,793, a decrease from May’s $986,684, but an increase from the $525,204 in October last year.
Though the team did trade or sell several players during the summer window, the increase in total salary can be explained by more than $4 million paid to new acquisitions Steven Alzate ($1,440,101), Enea Mihaj ($1,372,000) and Juan Berrocal ($1,200,000).
Total salaries for all MLS players in the database was $597,372,429. The per-player average was $632,809.78.
Lionel Messi of Inter Miami remained the highest-paid player ($20,446,667), with LAFC’s Son Heung-min second ($11,152,852), Miami’s Sergio Busquets third ($8,774,996) and Atlanta United’s Miguel Almirón fourth ($7,871,000).
Inter Miami had the highest payroll ($48,970,480), followed by LAFC ($30,095,826) and then Atlanta United.
The annual average guaranteed compensation is for players under contract as of Oct. 1. It includes a player’s base salary and all signing and guaranteed bonuses annualized over the term of the player’s contract, including option years.
For example, a player earning an annual base salary of $500,000, whose contract has an initial term of two years with two one-year options and received a $100,000 signing bonus, has an average annual guaranteed compensation of $525,000 — base salary plus signing bonus ($100,000), with the signing bonus divided by the number of years covered by the contract (four).
The average annual guaranteed compensation figure also includes any marketing bonus and any agent’s fees, both annualized over the length of the contract. The figure does not include performance bonuses because there is no guarantee that the player will hit those bonuses.
These figures include compensation from each player’s contract with MLS. They do not include any compensation from any contracts with individual teams or their affiliates.
Atlanta United Salaries
| First Name | Last Name | Base Salary | Spring 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miguel | Almirón | $6,056,000 | $7,871,000 |
| Alexey | Miranchuk | $3,600,000 | $4,885,441 |
| Emmanuel | Latte Lath | $3,534,546 | $4,030,546 |
| Steven | Alzate | $1,125,200 | |
| Enea | Mihaj | $1,030,000 | |
| Juan | Berrocal | $1,200,000 | |
| Saba | Lobjanidze | $900,000 | $998,750 |
| Stian | Gregersen | $800,000 | $920,000 |
| Bartosz | Slisz | $670,000 | $870,000 |
| Brooks | Lennon | $740,000 | $740,000 |
| Jamal | Thiaré | $700,000 | $730,000 |
| Tristan | Muyumba | $550,000 | $591,600 |
| Edwin | Mosquera | $425,000 | $462,000 |
| Josh | Cohen | $289,992 | $328,492 |
| Brad | Guzan | $300,000 | $312,500 |
| Ronald | Hernández | $275,000 | $290,750 |
| Pedro | Amador | $231,996 | $267,608 |
| Efraín | Morales | $104,000 | $112,019 |
| Noah | Cobb | $109,000 | $109,000 |
| Ajani | Fortune | $109,000 | $109,000 |
| Luke | Brennan | $104,000 | $104,000 |
| Cayman | Togashi | $104,000 | $104,000 |
| Dominik | Chong Qui | $80,622 | $80,622 |
| Matthew | Edwards | $80,622 | $80,622 |
| Ashton | Gordon | $80,622 | $80,622 |
| Jayden | Hibbert | $80,622 | $80,622 |
| Will | Reilly | $80,622 | $80,622 |
| Adyn | Torres | $80,622 | $80,622 |
| Leo | Afonso | $80,622 | |
| Cooper | Sanchez | $80,622 | |
| Total | |||
| Average |
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