Real Salt Lake No Longer Most Frugal MLS Club

SALT LAKE CITY – Real Salt Lake is no longer the most frugal club in MLS, that honor now belongs to the New York Red Bulls.

Real Salt Lake Climbs Spending Standings

The Major League Soccer Players Association (MLSPA) recently released an updated list of every MLS player’s salary and Real Salt Lake ranks 18th from a possible 28 clubs.

RSL spent $14.6 million in player salaries in 2022.

My MLS Wages charts show you payrolls across the league & salary disparities within each roster.
Thanks @MLSPA for the data.
Check out the interactive @tableaupublic to see previous seasons: https://t.co/F2CMPrE6Dz pic.twitter.com/LYPybdAPyf

— Steve Fenn (@StatHunting) October 17, 2022

In the summer of 2022, Real Salt Lake ranked at the bottom of the list, however, the salaries of recently signed players Jefferson Savarino and Anderson Julio were not accounted for despite both members being on the RSL roster at the time.

Now, the MLSPA has accounted for Savarino, Julio, and the late summer signings of Danny Musovski, Braian Ojeda, and Bryan Oviedo.

The highest-paid Real Salt Lake player, to no surprise, is Savarino who makes a base salary of 2 million dollars a year. The next highest-paid player is captain Damir Kreilach who pockets $1.762 million.

Andrew Putna Still On The Books

Interestingly, Andrew Putna, the goalkeeper that was reprimanded a year ago for making racist remarks to David Ochoa in the locker room, is still on the club’s pay sheet. Putna made $168, 458 for doing absolutely nothing throughout the 2023 campaign.

The highest-paying club in the league resides with Toronto FC who spent a whopping $32.2 million.

This off-season, following the club’s first-round playoff exit last weekend against Austin FC, Real Salt Lake is expected to spend significant money in the February transfer window. It will mark the first time that manager Pablo Mastroeni will work alongside general manager Elliot Fall and the new ownership group in February.

The February transfer window is considered the most important window of the year given that incoming players are provided time to adjust to their new surroundings. That is in comparison to the summer window where players are expected to join their new clubs and integrate immediately into the new playing style, dressing room, etc.

The February transfer window will open on the 10th and close on May 4.