MLS team Minnesota United have confirmed the short-term signing of former Real Madrid star James Rodríguez, the most high-profile arrival in team history.
Rodríguez had been a free agent since December when his deal with Liga MX team León expired. Now 34 years old, Rodríguez remains an important part of the Colombia national team and was eager to find a new club to keep fit ahead of this summer’s World Cup.
“James is a player whose quality, vision, and experience at the highest levels of the game are unquestioned. We’re excited to add his creativity and football intelligence to our group. At the same time, this move is about collective strength — not about putting everything on one individual,” said Minnesota sporting director Khaled El-Ahmad. “We believe that within our structure, culture, James can add an important dimension to the team.”
Under the guidance of new head coach Cameron Knowles, Minnesota are expected to play a more fluid, possession-based style this season. The arrival of James Rodríguez, one of the most creative talents of his generation, has the potential to be a transformative signing for Minnesota.
What is James Rodríguez’ salary in MLS?
The Colombian will be, by some distance, the most famous name in the Minnesota squad. But he will not be among the highest earners. Reports suggest that Rodríguez will not be a Designated Player in Minnesota, meaning that he will not be able to earn on the same level of other international stars like Lionel Messi, Thomas Muller or Son Heung-min.
The current maximum for a non-designated player is around $1.74 million per year. That is comprised of the $743,750 maximum budget charge, plus the added potential to use $1 million of Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) to ‘buy-down’ a higher salary. An annual salary of $1.74 million would equate to a weekly wage of $33,000, a relatively modest level of compensation for a player of his stature.
A mercurial creative player, Rodríguez was the breakout star of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. He scored six goals in his team’s run to the quarter-finals, going on to sign for Real Madrid later that summer. He then had a two-year stint with Bayern Munich before a series of moves to Everton, Al Rayyan, Olympiacos, São Paulo, Rayo Vallecano and León. Now, James Rodríguez arrives at the Twin Cities on a six-month deal, with a team option for a further six months.
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