Mensah is highest earning Ghanaian MLS player

Jonathan Mensah is the top-earning Ghanaian player in Major League Soccer, earning just under $850, 000 annually in basic salary and bonuses.

The Black Stars midfielder, who plays for Columbus Crew, earns almost 200 per cent more than countryman Harrison Afful, while Latif Blessing — the best player in the Ghana Premier League last season — will have to play for 10 years on his current salary to match Mensah.

Yet Mensah and David Accam, who is on $820, 000 a year, are still earning considerably less than the top 20 in the league, who are on around $1.5m a year. The top earner in MLS is former World Player of the Year Kaká, who is on a staggering $7million-per-year.

At the current exchange rate, Mensah pocket GH¢3.6million annually, and GH¢ 300 000 a month.

The numbers also sheds light on how the gap in earnings in football in Europe and USA is closing, with Mensah pocketing more than a lot of Ghanaian players plying their trade in the more glamorous environments of Europe. However, he is still some way behind the reported £100, 000-a-week Andre Ayew pockets at West Ham United.