Wayne Rooney has been a key factor behind DC United's transformation since his arrival in 2018. 

The 33-year-old swapped English football for the MLS after a short-lived second stint with Everton.

While he wasn't having quite the same impact on the Premier League by the end, he was quickly named MVP at his new club thanks to a tally of 12 goals in 21 games. 

Nevertheless, the former England captain has taken a significant financial hit stateside. 

Per ESPN, the $3.5million Rooney earns a year make him just the ninth highest-earner in the division. 

On the one hand, that makes sense given that Rooney is now in the twilight of his career - but that's not the case for former Manchester United team-mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic. 

The ex-Sweden international is on a far more lucrative contract, as you might expect from LA Galaxy, and has earned a record $7.2million in the last year. 

The top 10 earners are as follows: 

1. Zlatan Ibrahimovic ($7.2m)
2. Giovanni dos Santos ($6.5m)
3. Michael Bradley ($6.4m)
4. Jozy Altidore ($6.3m)
5. Carlos Vela ($6.3m)
6. Bastian Schweinsteiger ($5m)
7. Ignacio Piatti ($4.4m)
8. Alejandro Pozuel ($3.8m)
9. Wayne Rooney ($3.5m)
10. Josef Martinez ($3m)

A slightly more bizarre takeaway from all this is that Rooney not only ranks behind household names like Ibrahimovic and World Cup winner Bastian Schweinsteiger, but also below former Spurs forward Giovanni dos Santos, who has admittedly become something of a poster boy for the MLS. 

Indeed, even Jozy Altidore - he of 'flopping spectacularly at Sunderland' fame - is picking up almost double Rooney's wages. 

Altidore's career in England was a disaster. The striker began his career as a Freddy Adu-like prospect but like his compatriot, he found it difficult to live up to the hype. 

While very successful in the Eredivsie, he scored just one goal on loan at Hull in the 2009/10 campaign.

He later came back to England with the Black Cats and once again, found the back of the net on one solitary occasion in 42 league appearances. 

It goes without saying he's faring better with Toronto FC - he's on five goals in his last nine games. 

And now he's earning more than one of the greatest English players in the modern game - so who's the real winner?