FOXBOROUGH, MA– On July 10th, 2023, the New England Revolution announced that forward Tomás Chancalay would join the team on loan from Racing Club de Avellaneda for the remainder of the 2023 season. With this loan signing, there has been a lot of deliberation in regard to Tomás’ current contract, clauses and possible future contract with New England.
I managed to speak to sources close to the contract to get down to the bottom of his full contract details and what it means for him, and New England.
Bienvenido Tomás! ??
We've acquired Argentinian forward Tomás Chancalay on loan from @RacingClub for the remainder of the 2023 season, with options to purchase or extend the loan through June 2024.
— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) July 10, 2023
Getting into details, Tomás Chancalay signed with New England officially on July 5th of 2023 on a loan deal. The deal would be effective until December 31st, 2023. In a salary-based view, Chancalay is making within the range of $800,000 – $850,000 in 2023.
Upon the completion of his loan on December 31st, 2023, New England can elect to extend the loan from January 1st, 2024, until June 30th, 2024. If this loan is extended, the salary-based extension for Chancalay would view him making $850,000 – $950,000.
? Tomás Chancalay jugará en el New England Evolution de la MLS.
*️⃣Racing llegó a un acuerdo para cederlo a préstamo por un año (cargo de u$s 800.000) y una obligación de compra si juega el 60% de los minutos (u$s 3M por el 75%). #TratoHecho pic.twitter.com/vZtTTPvn2B— César Luis Merlo (@CLMerlo) June 28, 2023
According to Argentinian Journalist César Luis Merlo, Chancalay has a purchase obligation if he was to play 60% of his available minutes for $3,000,000. This is categorically false. There is no clause in Chancalay’s contract for a purchase obligation if he were to play a certain amount of minutes.
With the entire contract, as listed above, New England has the option to sign Chancalay on a full-term contract. That fee however is expected to be in the range of $3,000,000 – $4,000,000.
Sources: New England Revolution sign Argentine attacker Tomas Chancalay on loan from Racing Club.
Loan thru 2023 season with purchase clause. If purchase clause triggered, Chancalay would be a DP in 2024.https://t.co/EL8JsaSwxc pic.twitter.com/ZbDz6dVeRF
— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) July 8, 2023
It was also previously reported by The Athletic staff writer Tom Bogert, that if the Revolution were to trigger the purchase option in Chancalay’s contract, that the player would automatically become a Designated Player in reference to MLS Roster Rules. This is not the case.
According to MLS Roster Rules and Regulations, The Designated Player Rule allows clubs to acquire up to three players whose total compensation and acquisition costs exceed the Maximum Salary Budget Charge, with the club bearing financial responsibility for the amount of compensation above each player’s Salary Budget Charge. With the Salary Budget Charge, and therefore Designated Player Status being determined by averaging all guaranteed amounts payable over the guaranteed term.
In 2023, a Designated Player who is at least 24 years old during the League Year will carry the maximum Salary Budget Charge of $651,250, unless the player joins after the opening of the Secondary Transfer Window, (Which Chancalay did) in which case his budget charge is $325,625.
Due to Chancalay’s budget charge, total transfer fee, and maximum salary not exceeding the max TAM of $1,651,250, this would not make him a Designated Player.
As of August 25th, 2023, New England has 3 Designated Players. (Carles Gil, Gustavo Bou, & Giacomo Vrioni).
Tomás Chancalay debut ? https://t.co/9uGHfGxJJV
— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) August 13, 2023
Since his official signing, Chancalay dressed for two matches for the Revolution first team. He did not appear in either of those matches. For the Revolution II, Chancalay logged 20 minutes in an MLS NEXT Pro match versus Atlanta United 2 on August 13th. He was injured in the match after making a dummy-run in the 7th minute that led to a goal scored by Damian Rivera. He continued on for 13 more minutes before being replaced by Jordan Adebayo-Smith. The injury, a Thigh Contusion, was a precautionary substitution and is not expected to be serious per Revolution senior staff writer Jeff Lemieux. Chancalay has since trained with the team.
The New England Revolution (12-7-4, 43 pts.) return to MLS play on August 26th as the team heads to Montréal, Quebec, Canada to face CF Montréal (10-2-12, 32 pts.) in an MLS Match. The match kicks off at Saputo Stadium at 7:30 p.m. ET on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app.
(Editor’s Note: For more of Burt Granofsky’s photos, click on the link)
