Called by many the "Beckham Rule" since its implementation by Major League Soccer, the league's designated player rule became permanently linked with its namesake last week when the Los Angeles Galaxy signed David Beckham to a landmark deal.
In its simplest explanation, the rule allows any team to sign any player to any amount of money it so chooses and said player's salary will only count as $400,000 against the league salary cap.
But what happens when a team has a player already on its roster whose salary exceeds $400,000? There are a few players in the league that fall into this category -- players such as Carlos Ruiz of FC Dallas, Eddie Johnson (Kansas City Wizards) and Real Salt Lake's Freddy Adu. The Galaxy have one such player of their own in Landon Donovan.
The good news for Galaxy fans is that Donovan's salary -- like the others -- will be "grandfathered" in for the 2007 season. The bad news is that by 2008, the Galaxy will be forced to either trade for a second designated player slot or trade one of their two designated players. A team cannot have more than two designated players.
"They better not trade me. I'm going to be [angry]," said Donovan with a chuckle, before getting more serious about the situation.
"It's something that should be thought about. Next year I'm going to count as a designated player too. The only way to do it is to trade for another slot, unless (the Galaxy) are going to get rid of Beckham, which I don't imagine happening," Donovan said.
Galaxy president Alexi Lalas is still trying to work out the logistics that involve bringing a world superstar to the club, but is still aware of the predicament he is in if he wants to keep Donovan in southern California.
"We recognize that Landon is grandfathered through this year and that come 2008 we're going to need a designated spot to keep both a David Beckham and a Landon Donovan," said Lalas. "We will do what we need to do to comply with the rules and regulations that exist in MLS."
While Donovan is well aware of what needs to get done for him to stay in the Southland, he also realizes that it is completely out of his hands.
"It's not really my issue to deal with, it's Alexi's," he said. "I'm assuming the sooner the better to get that out of the way so we're not at March of next year trying to get that to happen."
The standard has already been set fairly high for the value of a designated player spot. Chivas USA sent its slot to New York in exchange for Amado Guevara, a former league MVP. Based on that trade it's unclear what the Galaxy would have to offer, but according to Lalas it's too early in the game to put a clear cut value on a designated player slot.
"Even with the recent and only deal involving a designated player slot I think it's important to recognize that it is the only one," said Lalas. "One deal does not a market set. We are at the beginning of 2007 so there is still a long time.
"The designated player rule is still very new and still very fresh and therefore people are still figuring out the value of it. Each team individually is still trying to assess that."
Greg Daurio is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
