Thomas Müller is on the verge of a move to the MLS. Now, a report has emerged suggesting that the 35-year-old will be playing for a relatively laughable sum in North America. Didn’t Bayern have a few euros for their club icon?
According to reports, the negotiations for a Müller contract extension at the German record champion failed due to differing salary expectations. In Munich, the 2014 World Champion was earning up to 20 million euros per year. Max Eberl and Co. had made it clear that they had to make massive savings on salaries.
But would the bosses have found less than 2 million euros per year for Müller too much? The attacker is supposed to earn this relatively meager amount in the future.
The reason for this is the MLS rulebook. According to information from ‘givemesport’, Müller will not be a “designated player” on the other side of the big pond. As a result, his salary must adhere to a maximum limit set by the league.
The maximum is currently around 642,176.06 euros per year. Even with a special rule for selected players that allows for an individual financial boost (“Targeted Allocation Money”), Müller can earn a maximum of 1,508,242.61 euros.
This can only be increased in 2026 – provided Müller is selected as one of three “designated players” for his team. Until then, the Bayern player will have to tighten his financial belt.
📸 ALEXANDRA BEIER – AFP or licensors
