Beckham remains highest-paid player in MLS

New York: Injured David Beckham is still the highest-paid player in America’s Major League Soccer.

Beckham, who hasn’t played this season for the Los Angeles Galaxy because of a torn Achilles’ tendon, again tops the league at USD 6.5 million in guaranteed pay this year, according to the list released yesterday by the MLS Players Union. Galaxy teammate Landon Donovan is second at USD 2.13 million, followed by New York Red Bulls forward Juan Pablo Angel of Colombia at USD 1.92 million, Toronto midfielder Julian de Guzman at USD 1.72 million and Seattle midfielder Freddie Ljungberg of Sweden at USD 1.31 million. In addition to Donovan, other US World Cup team players listed include the Galaxy’s Edson Buddle (USD 188,448), Chivas USA’s Jonathan Bornstein (USD 100,000) and Real Salt Lake’s Robbie Findley (USD 87,316).The average salary for the 406 players listed was USD 138,169, down 6.6 percent from a USD 147,945 average for 323 players at the start of last season. The median income - the point at which an equal amount make above and below - was USD 88,500, an increase of USD 500 from last year. Bureau Report