With new funds added by MLS, Dynamo don’t plan to be left behind

Matt Jordan, Vice President/General Manager of the Houston Dynamo with Wilmer Cabrera, center, introduced as the new head coach and Chris Canetti President, hold up a scarf during the press conference at BBVA Compass Friday,Oct. 28, 2016 in Houston. less Matt Jordan, Vice President/General Manager of the Houston Dynamo with Wilmer Cabrera, center, introduced as the new head coach and Chris Canetti President, hold up a scarf during the press conference at BBVA ... more Photo: Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle Photo: Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 6 Caption Close With new funds added by MLS, Dynamo don’t plan to be left behind 1 / 6 Back to Gallery

Major League Soccer has changed the game for its clubs that wish to spend more money to build their rosters.

That could be bad news for clubs like the Dynamo that over the last decade have shown less willingness to spend with the big boys. President Chris Canetti, however, said the Dynamo will spend if the situation fits the club’s plans.

The league introduced Targeted Allocation Money in December 2015 – funds that supplemented the 2016 salary cap. All 22 clubs received $800,000 in TAM for 2017, and that number has increased to $1.2 million for 2018.

The game changer is that the league is now allowing each team to purchase up to $2.8 million additional TAM if they want to. Each club gets $1.2 million no matter what but could spend $4 million to improve their rosters in 2017.

Teams like Seattle, Toronto and Atlanta that have spent big money on transfer fees in recent years are shoe-ins to take advantage of the extra TAM. Teams like the Dynamo, D.C. United, Minnesota and Columbus are question marks because of their historical lack of spending.

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At a season-ending press conference on Tuesday, Canetti said the Dynamo’s majority owner Gabriel Brener is willing to spend extra money and could dip into the extra pool of TAM.

“When you look at some of the additions and moves we made this year, there is a willingness to invest in players,” Canetti said. “As we move forward, that is not going to change. We take these opportunities on a case-by-case basis and when is the right opportunity for our club to fix the structure, our philosophy and the style of what we are trying to do.”

“We will look at these opportunities one off. When you put it in the whole big picture, we will make decisions one at the time. It’s not that we have ‘X’ to spend or a declaration of not to spend. It’s just an openness to look at everything we need to do to make the team better within the rules of the league.”

Brener already has shown his willingness to spend on transfer fees in his short time with the Dynamo. The club completed a full transfer of 22-year old midfielder Tomas Martinez last summer. Last week, it picked up the purchase option on the loan for 26-year old midfielder Juan David Cabezas.

On Wednesday, the club announced the full transfer of 21-year old forward Alberth Elis. Elis likely cost more than Martinez and Cabezas combined, so acquiring him on a permanent basis really shows Brener’s hand.

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Ownership spending long has been a concern of Dynamo fans. Not spending loads of money was fine back when teams were allowed only one Designated Player. Now, however, each team can have three DPs in addition to the new discretionary TAM.

How much ownership will spend is the biggest question surrounding the team this off-season. The fact the club has come so far in the first year of coach Wilmer Cabrera's tenure may open those pocket books a little bit wider.

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"I think there were a lot of questions surrounding the future of the Houston Dynamo and where we were going as a club," Canetti said. "Thankfully, we had a very successful season and a lot of those questions were answered. A great tribute should be paid to Matt and Wilmer and the great work they did last off-season in putting together a fantastic roster of players and building the right culture and environment that led to a very successful season.

"From ownership to the front office down, we are very happy with the steps forward we took in 2017."