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MLS: Bargain Best XI – Most undervalued players

By Elmer Plasencia

HARRISON, NEW JERSEY- September 30: Aaron Long #33 of New York Red Bulls shakes hands with fans after the team win during the New York Red Bulls Vs Atlanta United FC MLS regular season game at Red Bull Arena on September 30th, 2018 in Harrison, New Jersey. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
HARRISON, NEW JERSEY- September 30: Aaron Long #33 of New York Red Bulls shakes hands with fans after the team win during the New York Red Bulls Vs Atlanta United FC MLS regular season game at Red Bull Arena on September 30th, 2018 in Harrison, New Jersey. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images) /
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Aaron Long, MLS
HARRISON, NEW JERSEY- September 30: Aaron Long #33 of New York Red Bulls shakes hands with fans after the team win during the New York Red Bulls Vs Atlanta United FC MLS regular season game at Red Bull Arena on September 30th, 2018 in Harrison, New Jersey. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images) /

All teams are looking for bargains at different positions. And there are plenty of players far outperforming their wage. Here is the MLS bargain best XI.

The MLS Players Association released an updated list of player salaries on Tuesday. Salaries continue to grow all around the league but, despite this, the wage bill gap is substantial within the league and within rosters themselves.

Toronto FC has the highest wages of any team with a wage bill of $26.6M, while the Houston Dynamo’s is the lowest with a $5.9M wage bill. Sebastian Giovinco is the highest paid player in MLS making a total compensation of $7,155,555.67 in 2018.

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As the table shows, though, only 7% of MLS players are millionaires, while 79% of the league is in the $54,000 to $500,000 range. With the variety of mechanisms and salary rules in MLS, there are a number of players on almost every team that are outperforming their salary.

All of the players in our “Bargain Best XI” could be due for a pay raise at the end of the season after providing serious value for their clubs this season.

FOXBOROUGH, MA – MAY 19: Columbus Crew goalkeeper Zack Steffen (23) during a match between the New England Revolution and Columbus Crew SC on May 19, 2018, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The Crew defeated the Rev 1-0. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MA – MAY 19: Columbus Crew goalkeeper Zack Steffen (23) during a match between the New England Revolution and Columbus Crew SC on May 19, 2018, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The Crew defeated the Rev 1-0. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Goalkeeper

Zack Steffen has had a career year in 2018, starting for the USMNT six times in his debut year. The young goalkeeper became Columbus Crew’s starting goalkeeper last season and has continued to be one of the first names on the team sheet this season. Steffen has made 28 starts for Columbus this season, with 66 saves. At only $145,000, Steffen is arguably the best goalkeeper in MLS at any pay rate.

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