Are you curious about how much your favorite New York City FC players are earning in 2023? Look no further! In this article, we’ll break down the salaries of the team’s top earners and analyze how they compare to the rest of the MLS.
In 2023, the average base salary for a New York City FC player is an impressive $438,244, with an annualized guaranteed compensation of $498,342. But who’s the highest-paid player on the team? It’s none other than the dynamic Thiago Martins, whose base salary and guaranteed compensation total a whopping $1,650,000 and $2,112,000 respectively.
While Thiago Martins is certainly a high earner, New York City FC also has a strong commitment to developing young talent and building a balanced roster. In fact, the team has one of the lowest ratios of highest earners to the rest of the team in the MLS, which reflects their focus on building a team that can compete at the highest level.
So, whether you’re a die-hard New York City FC fan or just curious about how MLS player salaries stack up, this article has got you covered. Get ready to dive into the world of New York City FC salaries and see how they compare to the rest of the league.
Table of Contents
- New York City FC Salaries
- Top 3 Highest-Paid Players
- The proportion of spending on the Highest Earners
- New York City FC Salaries Compared to Other MLS Teams
- Funding: Where Is The Money Coming From?
New York City FC Salaries
Here is a breakdown of New York City FC players’ base salary and guaranteed compensation.
Top 3 Highest-Paid Players
The players with the highest compensation for New York City FC are:
- Thiago Martins – $2,112,000
- Santiago Rodríguez – $1,331,333
- Talles Magno – $1,198,000
Note: Despite the salary data records provided by the MLS Players Association as of April 30, 2023, showing that Alexandru Mitrita is the third-highest earner of the team, the player was loaned out to the Saudi Arabian team Al-Raed.
1. Thiago Martins – $2,112,000
Thiago Martins was born on March 17, 1995, in São João Evangelista, Brazil. He started his career at the Brazilian club Palmeiras, where he played for the youth team before being promoted to the first team in 2015.
Although Martins played for Palmeiras until 2020 prior to being transferred to Yokohama F.M., the player was loaned out a few times to other Brazilian teams such as Paysandu and EC Bahia.
In February 2022, Martins was signed by New York City FC on a contract through the 2025 MLS season with an option for 2026. The club announced the transfer on their official website, stating that they were excited to welcome Martins to the team and that he would add depth and strength to their defense.
Martins’ current market value is estimated to be around €3.5 million, his current all-time highest. This is an increase from his market value of €1.2 million, which he achieved while playing for Yokohama. F. Marinos. Martins’ value has remained relatively stable over the past few years, indicating that he is a consistent and reliable player with a strong track record.
2. Santiago Rodríguez – $1,331,333
Santiago Mariano Rodríguez Molina was born on January 8, 2000, in Montevideo, Uruguay. He started his career at the Uruguayan club Nacional, where he played for the youth team before being promoted to the first team in 2019. Rodríguez played for Nacional until 2020, making 32 appearances and scoring 9 goals.
In March 2023, Rodríguez was signed by New York City FC through the 2027 season, after having previously played with the team during the 2021 and 2022 on loan from Montevideo City. One important fact is that Rodriguez will not occupy an international roster spot as he has achieved U.S. Permanent Residence.
Rodríguez’s current market value is estimated to be around €5 million. This is a significant increase from the time he joined New York City on a loan in 2021 of €2.5 million.
Rodríguez’s value has risen steadily over the past few years, indicating that he is a talented and promising player with a bright future ahead of him. Doubling his market value after a 2 year period is a no-brainer for any club looking to profit from a future as Rodriguez continues to increase his value.
3. Talles Magno – $1,198,000
Born on June 26, 2002, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Talles Magno started his career at the Brazilian club Vasco da Gama, where he played for the youth team before being promoted to the first team in 2019. Magno played for Vasco da Gama until 2021, making 65 appearances and scoring 5 goals.
In May 2021, Magno was signed by New York City FC as Young Designated Player, marking his first professional football stint outside of Brazil. The club announced the transfer on their official website, stating that “he is a talented young player who has already amassed a significant amount of First Team minutes at a high level for someone his age and someone we believe has the potential to play at the highest levels of football.”
Magno’s current market value is estimated to be around €15 million, which is as of now his all-time highest. This is a significant increase from his previous market value of €10 million, which he achieved in August 2022 while playing also playing for New York City FC.
Given his young age (20 years old!) and steady increase over his young career, Magno is considered a true asset for New York City FC. Despite not being the highest earner of the team, the Brazilian is the most valuable player followed by Santiago Rodríguez whose value sits at €5 million.
The proportion of spending on the Highest Earners
New York City FC doesn’t have worldwide known players like other teams such as Lorenzo Insigne or Xherdan Shaquiri, playing for Toronto FC and Chicago Fire respectively. Instead, the club has focused on signing young talented players with the potential to further develop their skills and significantly increase their values such as Santiago Rodríguez and Talles Magno.
The 23 and 20-year-old players are part of the selected top-3 highest earners of the team, behind the more experienced and top earner Thiago Martins. Additionally, these three players are also the designated players of the team. After analyzing the payroll proportion of these players, the three totaled a compensation of $4.6 million which accounts for 30% of the team payroll.
This is an important percentage, but not as high as the 58% that LA Galaxy designated players to account towards their team payroll.
Further analysis, the top earner of the team, Thiago Martins, accounts for 14% of the whole team’s salary, which is similar to Sporting Kansas City and their top earner Alan Pulido, also accounting for 14% of their team’s salary.
New York City FC Salaries Compared to Other MLS Teams
According to the MLS Salary Report, New York City FC’s team salary of $15.4 million places them 14th out of 29 teams in the league. This indicates that while they are not among the highest-paying teams in MLS, they are still competitive in terms of financial resources.
Compared to other teams in the Eastern Conference, New York City FC has a middle-of-the-pack team salary. However, they are still within striking distance of the top-spending teams in the conference, such as Toronto FC and Chicago Fire.
It’s also worth noting that New York City FC’s team salary has increased significantly over the past few years. According to the MLS Salary Report, their team salary in 2020 was $11.9 million, which means they have increased their payroll by almost over $4 million in just three years.
The team doesn’t have any of their highest compensated players in the top-25 highest earners in the league. Despite Thiago Martins being close to being part of that selected group, the Portland Timbers player Evander da Silva Ferreira sits at the bottom of the list with a compensation of $2.2 million.
Overall, while New York City FC may not have one of the highest team salaries in MLS, they are still a competitive team with solid financial backing. With the right investments and strategic planning, they have the potential to compete at the highest level and bring home championships in the future.
Funding: Where Is The Money Coming From?
New York City FC is owned by City Football Group, a global football organization that has made significant investments in soccer around the world. The group’s investment in New York City FC is part of its broader strategy to expand its global footprint and establish a presence in key markets around the world.
According to Ferran Soriano, CEO of City Football Group, the group’s investment in New York City FC is driven by a desire to build a successful team in one of the most important cities in the world. In an interview with Forbes, Soriano stated that New York City FC represents a “unique opportunity” to build a team that can compete at the highest level and attract a global fanbase.
In addition to the strategic value of investing in New York City FC, there are also financial incentives for the owners to continue investing in soccer in the US. The value of MLS teams has increased significantly in recent years, with the average team value increasing by 30% from 2019 to 2020.
Today, New York City FC sits in the top-5 MLS teams with the highest valuation occupying the 4th place. This is a considerable value taking into consideration the team joined the MLS only in 2015.
Furthermore, the US soccer market represents a significant growth opportunity for City Football Group and other investors. The US soccer market is expected to grow by 40% by 2026, driven by factors such as increasing participation in youth soccer, the growth of Major League Soccer, and the increasing popularity of soccer among US sports fans.
As the popularity of soccer in the US continues to grow, it makes sense for investors to continue investing in the sport and building successful teams that can compete at the highest level.
