NEW YORK — Major League Soccer will allow each team to sign at least two star “designated players” whose salaries can be higher than the salary budget.
The league first allowed each team one budget exception in November 2006, known as the Beckham Rule, and said a team could trade for a second slot.
Under the change announced Thursday, each team may purchase a third DP from the league for $250,000 but they no longer may trade it. A designated player will count for $335,000 against the budget, down from $415,000, and the budget line will be cut to $167,500 if he joins midseason.
MLS currently has only five designated players: Los Angeles’ David Beckham, New York’s Juan Pablo Angel, Seattle’s Freddie Ljungberg, Houston’s Luis Angel Landin and Toronto’s Julian de Guzman.
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