Del Piero Hints At MLS Move

Filed in archive US Soccer on March 24, 2006

source: malestars.com

Alessandro Del Piero has hinted that his next move will be to the MLS. He is quoted as saying:

"When I leave Juventus I don't see myself playing with Fiorentina or Sampdoria - I see myself with Los Angeles Galaxy."

Del Piero might change his mind when he sees what LA Galaxy are offering payment wise. The current MLS wage cap means Galaxy could only pay Del Piero's wages if the rest of the squad played on a voluntary basis.

The other alternative is the oft-discussed 'Beckham rule', where MLS makes an exception to it's wage structure for a superstar player on the basis that the whole league would benefit publicity wise. I'd rather not see MLS go down this path, becoming a last stop for over the hill not so super any more stars. If that happened, MLS would be no better than the NASL experiment it replaced.