Smart Spending: The 10 greatest Designated Players in MLS History
By Mark Shannon
With the MLS season around the corner and the transfer window open let’s look at the top 10 DP’s of all time.
David Beckham took North America by storm when he signed his lucrative deal back in 2007. Thanks in large part to him the league has grown to what it is today. Because of the Beckham deal the league adopted the Designated Player rule, also known as the “Beckham rule.” Because of this rule MLS teams are allowed to carry three DP’s.
$335,000 counts against the cap and rest is paid by the owner. The likes of Giovinco, Keane, Valeri, and Beckham have all owned or own the DP tag. We take a look at the 10 best designated players in MLS history.
10. Juan Pablo Angel
Angel had a successful six-year career in England with Aston Villa. Therefore when he decided to come over to the MLS, and the New York Red Bulls, back in 2007 it made him one of the first players signed under the new “Beckham Rule.”
Almost right from the get go it was success for the Red Bulls and Angel as he scored 19 times in his first 24 games during the regular season. Until last season when Wright-Phillips passed him he was the clubs leading goal scorer. As a result of his decline at the end of his career Angel drops to the bottom of this list. He also failed to bring home a title for the Red Bulls.