Jonathan Mensah one of the top-earning defenders in MLS

Jonathan Mensah of Ghana shields the ball away from Blati Toure of Burkina Faso during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations ©Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

by Graeme Jackson

Monday May 14, 2018. 09:00

Ghanaian Jonathan Mensah is one of the highest-earning defenders in the Major Soccer League, it has been revealed.

The Colombus Crew centre-back is the league’s third-highest-paid defender, with an annual salary of US$ 868,996.

Mensah, who is Crew’s second-highest earner, finds himself behind New England’s Claude Dielna (US $909,861) and the Los Angeles Galaxy’s Jorgen Skjelvik (US$ 1,000,000) in terms of defenders.

This comes after the MLS Players' Association went through its biannual process of releasing player salary information.

Portland Timbers forward Adi Fanendo is the highest-earning African, with the Nigerian bringing in $1,933,333.33 in annual salary.

The highest-paid MLS player is currently Toronto FC’s Sebastian Govinco, with the former Juventus man bringing home $7,115,555.67.