The Designated Player Rule allows clubs to acquire up to three players whose total compensation and acquisition costs exceed the maximum budget charge, with the club bearing financial responsibility for the amount of compensation above each player's budget charge. Designated Players may be new players signed to MLS via the Allocation Ranking List, Discovery Process or can be re-signed existing players on a team's roster.
A player's budget charge, and therefore Designated Player status, is determined by averaging all amounts payable over the guaranteed contract term excluding option years.
Option year compensation is not included in the budget charge calculation unless the option includes an automatic performance trigger whose terms would elevate a player's category from non-DP to Designated Player status. In such a case, the option year will be considered part of the guaranteed contract term.
Option year compensation is not included in the budget charge (in determining DP status) if the automatic trigger is based upon a performance target of at least 65% MLS League Season starts.
In 2018, a Designated Player who is 24 years old or older during the league year will carry the Maximum Budget Charge ($504,375) unless the player joins his club after the opening of the Secondary Transfer Window, in which case his budget charge will be $252,188.
A Designated Player who is 21 years old to 23 years old during the League Year will carry a budget charge of $200,000, while a Designated Player age 20 or younger will carry a budget charge of $150,000. If any Designated Player age 23 or younger joins his club after the opening of the Secondary Transfer Window, his budget charge will be $150,000.
Designated Players as of the 2018 MLS Roster Freeze in mid-September
RELATED:Former MLS Designated Players
<strong>PLAYER</strong> |
<strong>TEAM</strong> |
<strong>DP or Young DP designation</strong> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/fanendo-adi">Adi, Fanendo</a> |
<div>Portland Timbers/CIN</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/romain-alessandrini">Alessandrini, Romain</a> |
<div>LA Galaxy</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/miguel-almiron">Almirón, Miguel</a> |
<div>Atlanta United</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/jozy-altidore">Altidore, Jozy</a> |
<div>Toronto FC</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/paul-arriola">Arriola, Paul</a> |
<div>D.C. United</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/ezequiel-barco">Barco, Ezequiel</a> |
<div>Atlanta United</div> |
<div>Young Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/alejandro-bedoya">Bedoya, Alejandro</a> |
<div>Philadelphia Union</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/sebastian-blanco">Blanco, Sebastian</a> |
<div>Portland Timbers</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/michael-bradley">Bradley, Michael</a> |
<div>Toronto FC</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/josue-colman">Colman, Josue</a> |
<div>Orlando City SC</div> |
<div>Young Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/cristian-colman">Colman, Cristian</a> |
<div>FC Dallas</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/yohan-croizet">Croizet, Yohan</a> |
<div>Sporting Kansas City</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/clint-dempsey">Dempsey, Clint</a> |
<div>Seattle Sounders FC</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/claude-dielna">Dielna, Claude</a> |
<div>New England Revolution</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/borek-dockal">Dockal, Borek</a> |
<div>Philadelphia Union</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/giovani-dos-santos">dos Santos, Giovani</a> |
<div>LA Galaxy</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/jonathan-dos-santos">dos Santos, Jonathan</a> |
<div>LA Galaxy</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/dom-dwyer">Dwyer, Dom</a> |
<div>Orlando City SC</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/alberth-elis">Elis, Alberth</a> |
<div>Houston Dynamo</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/shkelzen-gashi">Gashi, Shkelzen</a> |
<div>Colorado Rapids</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/sebastian-giovinco">Giovinco, Sebastian</a> |
<div>Toronto FC</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/carlos-gruezo">Gruezo, Carlos</a> |
<div>FC Dallas</div> |
<div>Young Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/felipe-gutierrez">Gutiérrez, Felipe</a> |
<div>Sporting Kansas City</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/federico-higuain">Higuain, Federico</a> |
<div>Columbus Crew SC</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<div><a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/andre-horta">Horta, Andre</a> *</div> |
<div>Los Angeles Football Club</div> |
<div>Young Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/tim-howard">Howard, Tim</a> |
<div>Colorado Rapids</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/sacha-kljestan">Kljestan, Sacha</a> |
<div>Orlando City SC</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/nicolas-lodeiro">Lodeiro, Nicolás</a> |
<div>Seattle Sounders FC</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/josef-martinez">Martínez, Josef</a> |
<div>Atlanta United</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/tomas-martinez">Martínez, Tomás</a> |
<div>Houston Dynamo</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/jesus-medina">Medina, Jesús</a> |
<div>New York City FC</div> |
<div>Young Designated Player</div> |
<div><a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/lucas-melano">Melano, Lucas</a> *</div> |
<div>Portland Timbers</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/maximiliano-moralez">Moralez, Maximiliano</a> |
<div>New York City FC</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/santiago-mosquera">Mosquera, Santiago</a> |
<div>FC Dallas</div> |
<div>Young Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/nemanja-nikolic">Nikolić, Nemanja</a> |
<div>Chicago Fire</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/ignacio-piatti">Piatti, Ignacio</a> |
<div>Montreal Impact</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/valeri-qazaishvili">Qazaishvili, Valeri “Vako”</a> |
<div>San Jose Earthquakes</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<div><a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/darwin-quintero">Quintero, Darwin</a> *</div> |
<div>Minnesota United FC</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<div><a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/angelo-rodriguez">Rodriguez, Angelo</a> *</div> |
<div>Minnesota United FC</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<div><a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/wayne-rooney">Rooney, Wayne</a> *</div> |
<div>D.C. United</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/alejandro-romero-gamarra">Romero Gamarra, Alejandro “Kaku”</a> |
<div>New York Red Bulls</div> |
<div>Young Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/diego-rossi">Rossi, Diego</a> |
<div>Los Angeles Football Club</div> |
<div>Young Designated Player</div> |
<div><a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/raul-ruidiaz">Ruidiaz, Raul</a> *</div> |
<div>Seattle Sounders FC</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/johnny-russell">Russell, Johnny</a> |
<div>Sporting Kansas City</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/albert-rusnak">Rusnak, Albert</a> |
<div>Real Salt Lake</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/pedro-santos">Santos, Pedro</a> |
<div>Columbus Crew SC</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/jefferson-savarino">Savarino, Jefferson</a> |
<div>Real Salt Lake</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/bastian-schweinsteiger">Schweinsteiger, Bastian</a> |
<div>Chicago Fire</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/brek-shea">Shea, Brek</a> |
<div>Vancouver Whitecaps FC</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/saphir-taider">Taider, Saphir</a> |
<div>Montreal Impact</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/erick-torres">Torres, Erick</a> |
<div>Houston Dynamo</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/milton-valenzuela">Valenzuela, Milton</a> |
<div>Columbus Crew SC</div> |
<div>Young Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/diego-valeri">Valeri, Diego</a> |
<div>Portland Timbers</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/carlos-vela">Vela, Carlos</a> |
<div>Los Angeles Football Club</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/david-villa">Villa, David</a> |
<div>New York City FC</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/kendall-waston">Waston, Kendall</a> |
<div>Vancouver Whitecaps FC</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/chris-wondolowski">Wondolowski, Chris</a> |
<div>San Jose Earthquakes</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
<a href="https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/bradley-wright-phillips">Wright-Phillips, Bradley</a> |
<div>New York Red Bulls</div> |
<div>Designated Player</div> |
