Especially after people have been making fun of RB for doing it - but this would be not the first time we've traded/let walk a captain.
2023 Roster and Transfer Discussion Thread
- Thread starter Shwafta
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They haven't "let him walk." He hasn't made a decision yet. Also, he's a free agent. He's free to choose where he wants to play, and I would think the money probably isn't much different; there are limits on what teams can offer free agents, I believe.
He wants to stay. The club wants him back. Hopefully that formula works.
I've been trying to figure this out, and it is proving difficult. There were stricter standards under the old CBA. The new CBA has some limits, but the only summary I could find was this quote from the MLS announcement of the new CBA.
"For players making the maximum salary budget charge or less, a free agent can sign a contract with another club with an initial salary of the greater of $25,000 above the maximum salary budget charge, or 20% above the player’s prior salary. For players making between the maximum salary budget charge and the maximum targeted allocation money (TAM) amount, the player could earn 20% above the prior salary up to $500,000 above the maximum salary budget charge and 15% of such salary from $500,000 above the maximum salary up to the maximum TAM amount."
According to Spotrac, Johnson made $550,000 last year. So, another team can offer him the greater of 20% above that amount or $25K above the maximum salary budget charge for 2023 (which is $651,250). That means another MLS team can offer him $676,250. That seems easy enough for us to match, unless the Club feels that it doesn't want to commit that much money to a player who is probably at his peak. It also might come down to whether another team is willing to guarantee him compensation for more years than NYCFC.
I'm sure we can match any competing offers. The big issue may be DPs. If I'm not mistaken, we don't have any because both Taty and Mitriță are technically on loan.
And I don't think it's a major stretch to assume Callens wants a contract matching Martins' and Sean John wants something in the same neighborhood.
So, it's tricky.
I can’t believe we’re handicapping ourselves with 2 DPs on loan. With Mitrita, take the L and sell him already. It’s been what, like 3 years? I understand Tati somewhat because they wanted a higher price for him. I would hope they sell him too after the Spanish season, otherwise he becomes a perpetual freebee for CFG at the hinderance of NYCFC.
First, let's look at the max contract that another MLS team could offer these guys.
- Johnson - $676,250 ($25K above league max)
- Callens - $976,800 (20% above prior year)
- Johnson - Would become a TAM player; would need an extra $116,250 in cap space/TAM to cover the gap between last year and this year. Plus, we would gain the flexibility to use more TAM to offset Johnson's salary if we chose to do so.
- Callens - Would remain a TAM player; would need an extra $162,800 in TAM to cover the gap.
- Base Salary is $1.5 million; Guaranteed Salary is $1.92 million
- Unclear whether Callens or Johnson would want to match Tiago's Base Salary or Guaranteed Salary (which may include a signing bonus).
- Base Salary would allow them to be TAM players, but gap with last year would be $950K for Johnson and $684K for Callens. That's a big chunk of our total TAM money.
- Guaranteed Salary requires being a DP. We have 1 DP slot available, but it seems unlikely that we would use 2 DP spots on defense.
They don't count against our limit of DPs when on loan, so loaning them instead of selling them doesn't limit our ability to sign other DPs.
I think they tried selling Mitrita, but with the pandemic and his weird personal situation, I don't think they could. His contract runs out this summer anyway.
I have to think Taty gets sold this summer. They took a gamble that he will perform in La Liga and boost his market value. He has 4 goals in 15 games so far. Not sure if that gets more money, but if one year in La Liga doesn't do it, I can't see them thinking another year would change anything.
4 goals in 15 games and started most of them. he seems to be an integral part of the girona attack. if they don't buy him after the loan, i'd be shocked.
We have one DP slot available, but we only get roster relief on transfers, not budget relief, yes? I'm not sure how it affects the math, or if there's something in either of the DP loans which gives us a little more room.
I don't know what the Salary Budget is for the year, either. Last year it was $4.9 million but I thought there was supposed to be a bump after the AppleTV+ deal.
When thinking about our flexibility to resign free agents and bring in new players, the below should be helpful.
Our total capacity for spending increases by $505,000 between 2022 and 2023. That's enough to match what any other MLS team can offer for Callens or Johnson and have another $225K left over to do other things.
This doesn't take into account the effect of GAM we've traded in or out for 2022 and 2023. We are getting at least $200K in each of 2023 and 2024 from Seattle for Heber. We are giving $325K to Nashville for international spots (presumably all in 2023). I don't think any of our earlier trades or player sales would have money coming in for 2023, but it's possible.
Finally, with the departures of Maxi, Heber, Tinnerholm, Santi and Acevedo, we have freed up at least $3,881,300 to spend on replacements.
Our total capacity for spending increases by $505,000 between 2022 and 2023. That's enough to match what any other MLS team can offer for Callens or Johnson and have another $225K left over to do other things.
This doesn't take into account the effect of GAM we've traded in or out for 2022 and 2023. We are getting at least $200K in each of 2023 and 2024 from Seattle for Heber. We are giving $325K to Nashville for international spots (presumably all in 2023). I don't think any of our earlier trades or player sales would have money coming in for 2023, but it's possible.
Finally, with the departures of Maxi, Heber, Tinnerholm, Santi and Acevedo, we have freed up at least $3,881,300 to spend on replacements.
Great, that really explains it. Now I think I understand. Thanks,
Gotham Gator 
(Okay, that's a crocodile emoji. But it's all I got.)
I only know that Mitrita hasn't counted as a DP for us since his initial loan and Taty hasn't either (and wouldn't necessarily need to be a DP anyway).
I don't know whether we are covering any portion of their salaries and how that would rebound against our salary limits if we were.
Just did a little digging on my break and I can't find any public information on the loan terms for either guy. So, the salary hit is a little bit of a mystery.
But at least we have the one senior DP slot (which we knew). My guess is the team is looking to use that on a striker rather than on Callens, though, so unless we buy another DP -- I think we're allowed to even though we have two on loan -- it's going to cost us a chunk of TAM to sign him at a Martins-level compensation. That much
Gotham Gator has made clear.
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why not? he's proving he can play in a top league. if he played with a better squad, he'd produce more. his lack of goals, at least from the games I've seen, is mostly due to those around him just not being very good.
So wait a minute, if I am understanding correctly, no team can offer Callens more than 20% above what he made this year (roughly $1M), then why can’t NYCFC just offer him that or more and they are done?
Or if Callens wants a DP contract, it could only come from NYCFC or he will leave MLS to make thst much - which would be the only way to make more than $1M if not NYCFC paying him?
So really it’s whether he wants big bucks to leave MLS or resign with us. No way NYCFC should be outbid within MLS for a measly $200k.
I think this is right. We won't be outbid by another team in the league. It would have to be an international offer (I don't see any realistic scenario where a USL club enters the arena).
At the same time, it's about more than just topping any potential rival offers. Callens has every reason to expect a raise, and every right to expect to match the Martins contract. And given all he's meant to the organization, it's both prudent and decent to try and get as close to that as we possibly can.
Likewise for Sean John. He deserves a top-notch offer.
Of course, there's still the striker issue. It's going to take a few bucks to resolve. But the best thing to do is do the right thing and then figure it out from there. Even as a practical matter, the long-term gain is always going to be greater than the short-term cost.
I agree.
The one caveat is the duration of the agreement. I am not sure if there are any rules around the other MLS team offering a longer contract than NYCFC. For players the age of Johnson and Callens, that could be important.
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