The salaries of three former Celtic players in the MLS have been published in an act that is unlikely to ever be seen in Scotland.
Strict regulations are in place in North America with clubs given salary caps and just two players per club allowed to earn outside those limits.
Giorgos Giakoumakis left Celtic for Atlanta United in January with finance the big lure, a guaranteed salary of £1.4m secured his signing with the likelihood that there are goal bonuses, trophy bonuses and loyalty rewards in his four year contract.
Until November Victor Wanyama was a Montreal team-mate of Alastair Johnston with the Kenyan earning £1.44m a year with the Canadian club.
Most Celtic fans will have forgotten about Lewis Morgan but the former St Mirren winger is earning £1m a year with New York Red Bulls.
Covering the publication of salaries, The Sun reports:
GIORGOS Giakoumakis will pocket a guaranteed £1.4million cash in his maiden year in the MLS.
The Greek international – the top scorer in the Premiership last season – swapped Parkhead for Atlanta United in the US top flight back in January.
But that’s still £600,000 less than the top Scot in the MLS pay charts will pick up, in the form of Vancouver Whitecaps’ Ryan Gauld.
The former Dundee United and Sporting Lisbon star will pick up just over £2m in guaranteed cash this year.
Overall top in the list is veteran Swiss playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri – who is guaranteed £6.54m this year.
Elsewhere, former Celtic star Lewis Morgan – now starring for New York City Red Bulls after a stint at Inter Miami – will earn just over a million pounds this year.
Gauld’s ex Tannadice pal Johnny Russell will pick up another £800,000 this year – all of it in his base salary.
Further down the scale, ex-Rangers defender Danny Wilson will pick up £284,600 from Colorado Rapids, with Sam Nicholson earning £288,000. Veteran ex-Celtic star Victory Wanyama is guaranteed £1.44m this year.
While the report mentions Giakoumakis ‘pocketing’ £1.4m a year he will of course have Income Tax and other deductions.
