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Kaka making MLS record $7.1 million while not playing for a club that hasn't joined the league yet

Kaka making MLS record $7.1 million while not playing for a club that hasn't joined the league yet

The MLS Players Union has released an updated list of salaries for every player in the league and the top spot belongs to someone currently playing in Brazil.

Kaka joined incoming MLS club Orlando City from Milan at the end of June and was immediately sent out on loan to Sao Paulo, where he has two goals and one assist in 11 appearances. Though the 32-year-old Brazilian won't play for Orlando City until they join MLS in 2015, his guaranteed salary for 2014 is listed as $7,167,500 — a new MLS record.

To put that in perspective, Orlando City only have five players on the list and the combined guaranteed compensation for the four who aren't Kaka totals $251,837.50. Here's the league's top earners for 2014:

Kaka, Orlando City $7.16 million
Clint Dempsey, Seattle $6.69 million
Michael Bradley, Toronto $6.50 million
Jermain Defoe, Toronto $6.18 million
Landon Donovan, LA Galaxy $4.58 million
Robbie Keane, LA Galaxy $4.50 million
Thierry Henry, New York Red Bulls $4.35 million
Tim Cahill, New York Red Bulls $3.62 million
Jermaine Jones, New England Revolution $3.25 million

For the sake of comparison, when David Beckham played in the league, his guaranteed salary was $6.50 million at its peak, but he also had a number of other financial perks built in to his deal, like the ability to purchase an expansion club at a discounted price.

The other new club joining the club in 2015, New York City FC, also has five players listed, but, curiously, Frank Lampard is not one of them. Even stranger is the fact that their other star signing, David Villa, is only listed as making $60,000 — less than teammates Jeb Brovsky ($119,000) and Andrew Jacobson ($180,000).

As former MLS player Taylor Twellman points out, all of these numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, though.

Meanwhile, Chivas USA players will soon be making nothing since the club will suspend operations at the conclusion of this season, according to ESPN.

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Brooks Peck

is the editor of Dirty Tackle on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him or follow on Twitter!