MLS is a league built on manufactured parity. Competitive balance isn’t just a quirk — it’s entirely by design. Teams can’t just sign players on a whim; there are a myriad of rule-induced factors to weigh, from roster distinctions dictated by one’s wage and seniority to international spots to their coffers of league-specific allocation money. As a result, overturning a roster isn’t supposed to be a rapid process, especially so in the summer transfer window in the middle of the regular season. But Miami’s summer retooling will permanently alter the perception of how much an MLS roster can change in a single transfer window.
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Through years of pursuing Lionel Messi, Miami was able to draft other players’ contracts with an eye on maintaining flexibility to coincide with Messi’s PSG contract expiring in the summer of 2023. There were complications along the way, of course. The team’s attempt to covertly exceed the limit of three designated players in 2020 resulted in strict sanctions: cash fines, a years-long suspension issued to a sporting executive, and forfeiture of over $2.27 million in allocation money across 2022 and 2023.
After grinding their way into the playoffs in 2022, things could not have started worse this spring, resulting in the team falling into last place and firing manager Phil Neville. Ultimately, the team will play its final competitive match of 2023 on Decision Day, having failed to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs. They won’t adjourn for the offseason just yet, though; instead, they’re off to China in November for a pair of friendlies — a concept which would’ve been unfathomable if not for their singularly transformative summer.
Wednesday marks the MLS Players Association’s post-roster freeze salary information release. Twice a year, the union gives vital insight into how much teams are spending on their players. It provides an incomplete snapshot of team investment, as transfer fee totals are absent, but it’s better than a complete lack of points of reference.
For nearly all of MLS’ 29 teams, the variation between their spring salary outlay and what they’re paying players as of today is fractional. Seventeen teams either increased or decreased their wage bill within 10% of their spring total, often attributable to a single player changing clubs. The biggest dip from this spring came from Orlando, whose outlay dropped by 14.1% after moving top earner Ercan Kara to Samsunspor.
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On the other end of the scale, Nashville SC’s outlay spiked by 21.6% after signing Sam Surridge, now the team’s second highest paid player on just over $2.9 million. Toronto had an increase of 25.5%, although that isn’t quite an apples-to-apples comparison as Lorenzo Insigne’s reported guaranteed compensation balloon from $7.5 million to $15.4 million.
And then there’s Miami, now with Messi, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and a trio of coveted young South American players. This spring, they ranked ninth in MLS with a guaranteed salary spend of $18,055,548. As of the roster freeze, that total stands at $39,419,071 — an increase of 118.3%.
Although the trio of Barcelona legends all arrived on free transfers, this doesn’t even factor for the ~$15.5 million in transfer fees for winger Facundo Farias ($5.5 million fee), center back Tomas Aviles (reported $7 million fee) and central midfielder Diego Gomez ($3 million fee).
Suffice it to say that sporting director Chris Henderson and the entire sporting staff pulled off a midseason transformation with few, if any, comparables in MLS history. It wasn’t for naught, even if they won’t advance to the MLS Cup Playoffs. Miami won the first trophy in club history by capturing the Leagues Cup and advanced to the U.S. Open Cup final, providing a solid bedrock to build from in 2024.
Miami may well already have the most talented roster in MLS, thanks to its top-heavy mix of new superstars, in-prime veterans, rising talents from South America and impressive academy graduates. In MLS, successful clubs need to hit as many of those buckets as they can, and Miami is doing that.
Looking ahead to the offseason, they have a few things already atop the to-do list.
The top priority this winter actually isn’t Luis Suarez — It’s securing the future of the front office. Henderson, regarded highly within MLS circles, is out of contract this winter.
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Henderson has done a phenomenal job in Miami. He inherited a bloated and overpriced roster, then was handed transfer sanctions. He reset the group and cleaned the cap sheet, while making the playoffs in 2022 without sacrificing future assets for whether Messi and friends came.
That’s why Miami was able to sign not just Messi, Busquets and Alba this summer, but also Aviles, Farias and Gomez. It’s why they shouldn’t have much trouble bringing in Suarez this winter, if that long-rumored deal comes to fruition, as expected.
With Suarez probably coming, it’s believed that Josef Martinez’s one-year sojourn to South Florida is over. Miami has a contract option for the Venezuelan international and, with Leo Campana already here too, that money will be better invested elsewhere.
It’s a similar story in central midfield.
Heading into preseason with Gregore and Jean Mota back from injury, Miami will have too many quality (and expensive) players in central midfield. Gregore and Mota join Busquets, Gomez, Dixon Arroyo, Benjamin Cremaschi and David Ruiz. Gregore just signed a new contract. Mota will have value around MLS and in South America. It wouldn’t be hard to find a suitor for the Brazilian.
Miami also wants to add some more MLS experience this winter. Think of Martino’s successful Atlanta United teams, with Jeff Larentowicz, Michael Parkhurst and more.
Julian Gressel, Martino’s former standout in Atlanta, is a free agent this winter. If no new deal is reached with the Columbus Crew, he could be an option and Martino sees him as a central midfielder. There will be plenty of other MLS-experienced options on the market this winter, both in free agency and trades to add to the MLS-veteran core of Yedlin, Kamal Miller and Drake Callender.
Miami’s structure is looking very strong heading into the offseason. A team with Messi and Busquets needs runners around them everywhere. Investing significant roster funds into Yedlin and Gregore are perfect complementary pieces, as are contributions from Cremaschi and Ruiz. Miller signed a new contract this month and Callender did before the 2023 season started, locking down two key pieces.
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It’s not as sexy as figuring out which of the next big-name stars could be joining Messi and friends, but those types of signings are crucial. Miami has the platform to be the best team in MLS next year and already has some of the necessary depth to sustain multiple trophy chases.
Let’s see what happens this winter. It’ll be busy.
(Photo: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)