MLS still pursuing Argentina's Riquelme
SOCCER DAILY
With midfielder in his prime, however, it's unlikely he will come north, even for $15 million.
Whether the rumors have any substance or not, the simple fact that there are stories swirling around in foreign climes about big-name players possibly leaving to join Major League Soccer is a positive sign for the league.
The latest rumor to surface was Tuesday when Telam, Argentina's official news agency, reported that MLS had made an offer of $15 million to attacking midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme to head north.
Considering that Riquelme is only 29, is still an influential figure on Argentina's national team, will be going to Beijing to take part in the Olympic Games, and is in fine form with Boca Juniors, the chances of him coming to MLS any time soon would seem to be slight.
Similarly, if Riquelme plays for Argentina in its June 8 friendly against the U.S. at Giants Stadium, all it will take for him to reject any move is one look at the dreadful, patched-up, threadbare, NFL-logoed carpet that passes for a soccer field at the Meadowlands.
On the other hand, the fact that MLS still is pursuing the former South American player of the year and three-time Copa Libertadores winner after earlier being rejected, speaks well of the direction in which the league is headed.
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Looking at the reverse direction -- players leaving the U.S. to chase careers abroad -- the trend is undeniably growing, as evidenced by the roster that U.S. under-20 national team Coach ThomasRongen selected for a tournament starting next week in Portugal.
Six of the teenagers are from MLS, including the Chivas USA midfield pair of Jorge Flores and Gerson Mayen, while six others already are with clubs in Europe, including the Hertha Berlin trio of defender Alfredo Morales, midfielder Bryan Arguez and forward Ellis McLoughlin.
The U.S. plays Northern Ireland, the Cape Verde Islands and Portugal in the April 13-19 event.
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Now that MLS salaries have again been made public -- thanks to the players and their union -- here are a couple of numbers: The average MLS player earns $117,299, but the median salary is still only $55,000.
It's all very well for David Beckham to be raking in $6.5-million because he earns that much and more back in a variety of ways for the Galaxy, but there are 75 developmental players taking home only $12,900 or $17,700.
Let's see, $15 million for Riquelme divided by 75 is . . . $40,000 more for each of those players for the next five years.
