In an attempt to add some young talent to the MLS, the league has decided to change the rules a bit to help accommodate the squads.
According to ESPN.com, the MLS is lowering the charge against the salary cap that designated players account for. MLS teams are currently allowed to have three designated players on their roster, which means their entire salary does not count against the salary cap. With the charge lowered on the younger international players, it allows teams to purchase more without the financial concern if the player doesn't turn into a star.
International players 20 or younger will be charged $150,000 while players aged 21 to 23 will count $200,000 against the cap. Both totals are down from $335,000, which remains for all other designated players.
"Our designated players are anywhere from their mid- to late-20s to their mid-30s. We're getting players that are good players, veteran players, but we've been out of the market for the most part in young, promising players," MLS executive vice president Todd Durbin told ESPN.com. "If we want to continue our growth and continue the improvement of our on-field product, this is an area we have to be in."
The change will take effect at the beginning of the 2012 season.
