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The Kansas City Wizards have pulled off one of the better moves off the MLS off-season,re-signing Argentine winger Claudio Lopez to a new contract that will remove Lopez from the team's Designated Player slot.
I wasn't able to get details on Lopez's new deal, but a source told me his new salary cap figure is MUCH lower. It could be less than half as much as the $400,000 Lopez counted against the Wizards' salary cap in 2008. Between that savings, the savings from not having to pay a portion of Dave Van Den Bergh's salary AND the suddenly wide-open DP slot, Kansas City has put itself in position to sign a big-ticket international forward, something the club definitely needs.
What do you think of the news? Happy to know Lopez is returning? Impressed that KC was able to bring him back and a cut-rate price? Think KC could put itself in position to do in 2009 what Columbus did in 2008?
Share your thoughts below.
it is something like 500k, a drop from the 800k from last year. The Wizards then used 300k in allocation money they have been saving up over the last three years to buy it down to 200k. He took a paycut, but not as much as he is going to count against the cap. A superb salary cap move.
If he had a one year contract that was up and they offered him a bit over 200k a year for a 2 or 3 year deal when he knows he isn’t getting a long term deal anywhere else it makes perfect sense to me for everyone involved.
no, i mean he got the old ‘wink wink nudge nudge’ deal
Eric R: “no way did he take such a pay cut.”
?
Are you saying Ives is lying?
Superb move by KC. If they can get one more good midfielder and a better striker than anyone they’ve got (Cristman and Thompson are useful enough, but you’re not winning anything if those are your go-to scorers), they’re going to be a real contender. Even without the midfielder, you’re looking at a team that should comfortably make the playoffs and contend for the division crown (especially when you consider their young defenders should all continue to improve).
I always love what Allegre says, and also was impressed with the analysis of Eric R.
All you guys have great soccer minds on this blog!!!
Juan, what feeder league isn’t paying guys past their prime?
And comparing 35 year olds to 31 year olds is odd when talking about prime playing performance.
I’m glad about this move. When are the MLS going to learn of has-beens and players past their prime and still signing them to $$$ that are insane. I believe my second team of Sounders will find it the hard way too with Ljunberg. Although it was more obvious with Lopez.
Word. He likes the Kansas City area as well. Great job bot Peter Vermes and the Wizards.
Awesome.
They have a new stadium on the way and their front office seems to make a lot of very smart moves, they just can’t seem to put it all together on the field.
I wish other MLS franchises with larger fan bases made smart decisions like Kansas City, the league would be a LOT better off for it.
Chris,
They swung it because Claudio Lopez started to enjoy his football at the end of 2008.
“The Wiz seriously need a kit sponsor. They have by far the ugliest jerseys in MLS.”
Posted by: This Guy | January 11, 2009 at 02:31 AM
Their jerseys are fine. It’s their name that is so terrible. But realistically, how are you gonna get a descent name kit sponsor while you’re still playing in a little baseball park? I think they’ll wait till they open their stadium to get more money out of the sponsor.
How did they swing this? Why would he re-sign for so much less money when he can go get payed elsewhere?
Now RBNY has to ask themselves…… who was more helpful to their team? VDB or Lopez? Please. SIGN VDB!
Borgetti!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Wiz seriously need a kit sponsor. They have by far the ugliest jerseys in MLS. As far as Lopez, it’s smart but I don’t see the front office spending on a DP. They will trade it for a draft pick or two, possibly some veterans. I don’t know if any teams are interested in another DP slot right now though? RBNY or Seattle maybe.
lol @ Ed,
hahaha Christman…i bet he’ll be the wizard’s savior (pun hella intended)
Good News. C’Mon Wizards! Would love to see a respected DP enter the KC line up.
no way did he take such a pay cut. the micro-economist in me admires the notion of the mls salary cap, but my inner macro-economist knows better.
i understand that a ‘debate’ just attracts the emotions of fans that want to see henry playing in front of ten thousand people on a wednesday night for their favorite team. the cap keeps us off the nasl path to destruction, but it needs to be reformed more progressively if mls wants to keep the trend of progress it’s done great with so far.
i don’t suggest letting teams get more top-heavy; rather, expand the middle class. young americans don’t attract enough interest just yet to skew the curve by starting their pro careers abroad for more money. lopez is a solid example of a quality pro that won’t sell season tickets but raises the quality of his squad. of course he’s not leaving for more money elsewhere because of his age, but imagine the flipside to this story if he’d gone elsewhere.
i’ll be pondering this all night i’m sure, so feedback would be well-received.
Absolute genius move by KC, and no sarcasm here. He’s past it…way past it even. But not so far past it he’s not worth $200k in MLS.
Great job by KC, and I tip my hat for Lopez for joining the Djorkaeff/Donadoni (Metro bias, give me a break) of players who play in MLS for something other than money.
Salut!
good job KC. They really do need a marquee forward to put infront of lopez
So is this new contract a lot like GBS old contract? You know, a bit of the old wink, wink, nudge, nudge?
No need for them to sign anyone, they already got Christman.
Who are the REAL possibilities at forward for KC? Who could they realistically expect to sign, or who is on their radar? I’m assuming someone from South America. What say you Ives?
Great work by the wizard front office. Hopefully KC will take advantage of the cap space and open DP slot.
Word. Hopefully Lopez will feel like playing. Addind a marquee forward or attacking midfielder would be major indeed.
hmm, should be interesting to see. With Arnaud, Wolff, and Lopez, they’ve got some real good professionals with experience and ability. If they get a good DP, they could have a very potent offense if it all clicked.
very good news for KC fans. If he has a very good year, which im sure he would if they do sign a DP forward, then he will be quite a steal. Factor in good form from jack jewsbury and Davy Arnaud, and the defensive qaulity and leadership of Jimmy Conrad, then KC could be very dangerous.
I hope he can stay motivated making so much less money