Real Salt Lake decided to give Slovak international midfielder Albert Rusnak a lucrative multi-year contract extension, keeping the 24-year-old in MLS. According to FOX Soccer analyst Stuart Holden, Rusnak will become the highest paid player in the franchise’s history with the new deal.
.@stuholden reports that Albert Rusnak and RSL have agreed to a new multi-year deal that will make the Slovakian the highest-paid player in club history. Rusnak has been vocal about wanting a new deal all season. Previous contract ran through 2020.
— Sam Stejskal (@samstejskal) September 30, 2018
Although his current deal ran through 2020, Albert Rusnak reportedly demanded a new contract for some time now. The negotiations were long and tense, with Rusnak even threatening to sit out games if he doesn’t get his demands fulfilled.
Eventually, Salt Lake decided to get the deal done now in order to make their best player happy for the upcoming playoff battle. The team is currently occupying the last playoff spot in the Western Conference, being two points ahead of LA Galaxy.
Albert Rusnak is playing in excellent form in 2018, scoring 10 goals and adding seven assists. In 59 games played in MLS for Real, he has scored 17 goals and had 21 assists.
Rusnak started his professional career with English Premier League giants Manchester City but failed to broke into the first team and spend the majority of his early years on loan. In 2014, he joined Netherland’s FC Groningen before making a move to Real Salt Lake in 2017.
