With the close of the MLS transfer window comes the inevitable move from the MLS Players Union to release salary figures for all players and teams in the league. The figures for the Union are listed below, the three summer transfer window signings’ totals in bold.

A few takeaways from the numbers (and if you want a more league-wide perspective, check this entry at The Goalkeeper blog):

- The Union haven’t done a whole lot in the summer transfer window. But what they have done, it appears, are solid pieces of business. Fabinho is only counting $78,000 against the salary cap for someone who has played in all four – likely five by Saturday – games for which he’s been available. He’s more expensive than the starter, Ray Gaddis, but then not many teams have regulars playing at that high of a level for league minimum. It’s possible that Oka Nikolov may not play this year in a meaningful match. If he doesn’t, the fact that he’s making the league minimum makes it almost inconsequential. And then there’s the future project that it appears Gilberto is destined to be. His base salary is less than that of Cristhian Hernandez, so let’s control the expectations.

- It’s worth noting that Kleberson is the 15th highest-paid player in the league (despite a recent inability to get on the field that required some questions of John Hackworth Thursday.) And he plays on the team with the 13th largest payroll.

- The Union’s payroll is in much better shape than at the beginning of the year. They’ve obviously shed Freddy Adu. Their second-highest earner, Carlos Valdes, may never return to Philly and the pressure of his salary is being absorbed by Colombian club Independiente. And their third-highest earner back in May, Bakary Soumare, has been shipped out of town with his $310K salary. As per The Goalkeeper, the Union have decreased their base salary commitments by $176,320 and lowered their guaranteed compensation by $188,932. To me, that looks like a lot of money earmarked for raises for young players like Gaddis, Jack McInerney, Amobi Okugo, Sheanon Williams and others. (One other thing to remember is that the Union have to pay for what could be the first or second draft pick in next year’s draft, plus their first, plus as many as two second rounders, or the equivalent salary of what they could acquire with those picks).

- Within their current constraints, the Union appear to be in OK shape. If Valdes doesn’t come back, if Kleberson’s loan deal terminates early next season, if Roger Torres' tenure continues hurtling toward its increasingly unavoidable conclusion, the Union have some serious financial flexibility to secure the assets they’ve grown and strategically add on.

The full payroll and team totals (in order of base salary)
Player   2013 base salary/2013 guaranteed compensation
Kleberson   $495,000/$495,000
Carlos Valdes   $321,000/$321,000
Jeff Parke   $205,000/$216,500
Sebastien Le Toux   $200,000/$212,812
Brian Carroll   $176,400/$176,400
Conor Casey   $175,000/$175,000
Jack McInerney   $125,500/$189,667
Roger Torres   $121,968/$125,093
Danny Cruz   $120,000/$126,500
Zac MacMath   $110,000/$155,000
Sheanon Williams   $105,000/$110,500
Amobi Okugo   $101,250/$184,250
Michael Farfan   $98,670/$136,170
Michael Lahoud   $90,000/$93,333
Keon Daniel   $80,004/$82,891
Fabinho   $78,000/$82,500
Chris Albright   $75,000/$75,000
Zach Pfeffer   $65,000/$75,000
Cristhian Hernandez   $62,500/$64,375
Gilberto   $60,000/$80,000
Jimmy McLaughlin   $60,000/$69,000
Antoine Hoppenot   $48,400/$48,400
Ray Gaddis   $46,500/$46,500
Greg Jordan   $46,500/$46,500
Matt Kassel   $46,500/$46,500
Chris Konopka   $46,500/$46,500
Oka Nikolov   $46,500/$46,500
Aaron Wheeler   $46,500/$46,500
Don Anding   $35,125/$35,125
Leo Fernandes   $35,125/$35,125
Total: $3,322,942/$3,643,641