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MLS Salaries: Top 3 Sounders Over and Under Paid Players

By Kaitlyn O'Rourke

Nov 27, 2016; Commerce City, CO, USA; Seattle Sounders midfielder Cristian Roldan (7) controls the ball in the first half against the Colorado Rapids in the second leg of the MLS Western Conference Championship at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 27, 2016; Commerce City, CO, USA; Seattle Sounders midfielder Cristian Roldan (7) controls the ball in the first half against the Colorado Rapids in the second leg of the MLS Western Conference Championship at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
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The MLS 2017 Salaries are out and the reigning MLS Cup Champions have some amazing players. But who’s over paid and who’s under paid?

Soccer is a team game and it takes a team to win a championship. The Sounders won the MLS Cup last year, and this year’s roster features many of those same players. All of the players have an increase in their Guaranteed Compensation (the total amount of money that they will make), except for Clint Dempsey.

Each player also had a raise in their base salaries. So based on performance to date who’s under paid and who’s over paid? (MLS salaries).

Top 3 Under Paid Players

Mar 31, 2017; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Sounders midfielder Gustav Svensson (4) heads the ball against the Atlanta United during the second half at CenturyLink Field. The game ended in a 0-0 draw. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 31, 2017; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Sounders midfielder Gustav Svensson (4) heads the ball against the Atlanta United during the second half at CenturyLink Field. The game ended in a 0-0 draw. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Gustav Svensson: 170,000.04

While Svensson has only played in eight games for the Sounders, he has been a solid part of their defense. In the past two seasons, he has started in each of his 28 appearances out of a possible 30 games.

Svensson has had experience in several different positions, and was brought to Seattle to fill in when necessary. With Brad Evans, Roman Torres and Oniel Fisher all injured, he’s getting more chances than he would have thought and has proved that he can handle physical MLS forwards.

Torres, Evans and Marshall are all getting paid over 330,000. Svensson has shown to be a vital part of the Sounders defense and he should be paid as the other veteran defenders and midfielders on the Sounders are.

2. Cristian Roldan: 137,000

Cristian Roldan has become an important piece in the Sounders starting XI. Last season he started 28 games in 33 appearances, had four goals and three assists, and was named to the MLS 24 Under 24.

Roldan played an important role in the Sounders post season run, he played in all six games and helped Seattle earn four shut outs. He is versatile, and since 2015 he’s dropped back to play right or left back when necessary.

Roldan is a scrappy and physical player who creates movement and space on and off the ball.

1.  Joevin Jones: 96,166

Joevin Jones has quickly turned into one of the best left backs in MLS. He’s quick, skillful and has had more assists under Brian Schmetzer than any fullback in MLS had in all of 2016.

Jones plays well all around, and since he plays as left wing for Trinidad and Tobago, his skill translates to his defense. He has some of the best speed in the league. Last season Jones played 33 games and started 29 out of 34 games. He set a club record with three assists in the playoffs in 2016.

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Top 3 Over Paid  Players

3. Alvaro Fernandez: 294,000

 Alvaro Fernandez started eight of the ten games that he could last year, but has only started two games this year and doesn’t seem to fit into the Sounders plans this season.

Fernandez started alongside Nicolas Lodeiro and Erik Friberg for many of the Sounders runs to the postseason, but Dempsey has taken back Friberg’s slot. Will Bruin has moved to forward and Jordan Morris has dropped to the other midfield role.

Fernandez is a good player, but hasn’t made an impact yet this season and right now isn’t set to make one.

2. Roman Torres: 508,812

Roman Torres scored the winning PK in the MLS Cup, but he hasn’t played that many games and other players have made more of an overall impact. This is Torres’s third season for Seattle and he’s only played 17 games in total.

Torres tore his ACL in 2015 and it’s shown that after one torn ACL, it’s likely to tear it again. Currently, he’s out with a hamstring problem and has only played in four times so far in 2017.

Torres is a great defender, he’s big and physical. But he’s been injured for much of his Seattle career, which isn’t his fault, but he’s looking to be injury prone and costly moving forward.

Jul 13, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Sounders FC forward Brad Evans (3) drops a pass back against the FC Dallas during the second half at CenturyLink Field. Seattle defeated Dallas 5-0. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 13, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Sounders FC forward Brad Evans (3) drops a pass back against the FC Dallas during the second half at CenturyLink Field. Seattle defeated Dallas 5-0. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Brad Evans- 338,501

Brad Evans has been with the Sounders since 2009, but he’s getting up there in age and missing more time with injuries. He hasn’t played this season, but the Sounders have the depth to deal with it.

Evans has been shifting positions more often in recent years, moving back from midfield to defense. This season he was looking to play as a right back in after Tyrone Mears leaving to Atlanta.

Evans wasn’t consistent in 2016 and it’s unclear where he’ll be playing in 2017. Evans deserves to be a Sounders legend, he just isn’t the same player that he has been.

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