Moyes said today: "I think Landon would like to stay but at the moment it probably looks as if not. I wouldn’t want to have any disrespect to his club or the contract he has over there."

As usual, the dignity of Moysie shines through, and I am sure he knows a wee bit more than he is letting on.

What’s the betting that Donovan is wanting to stay and the wheels are already in motion to extend the loan deal with LA Galaxy?

Obviously as an Everton fan and an American I would love to see Landon stay at Everton and continue to flourish. However, I believe there is no way the MLS will let their prize possession go on a permanent move for a reasonable price.

He will leave a gaping hole in the right midfield position when he goes. I’ve been really impressed how he has handled himself against the top teams — he was thrown in at the deep end and has responded brilliantly. He brings pace, skill and energy to the team.

Possibly, as Gerry says, things are happening behind the scenes to see how much it would take to buy out his new contract with MLS. At the end of the day, it will be the player’s decision on whether or not he wants to make it happen.

Since Landon has arrived, he has been fantastic, which doesn’t suprise me as I’d seen him several times for the US and highly regarded his positive attitude, pace and technical ability. He is always looking to go forward and run at defenders (most notably Puyol & Co in the Confederations Cup).

I was pleasantly pleased when we landed him on loan and thought it would be a case of a real hit or an embarrassing (for Landon mainly) miss. It has proved to be a real hit.

Not only has the lad totally fitted in to the washing machine intensity of the Premier League, but he looks to be a big game player with absolutely no fear. Pace, intelligence, temperament, professionalism and whopper techers make Donavan the complete Everton player.

Thats only on the field; off the field, he is an American soccer icon, as we know, and it's so great to read posts from our blue brothers across the pond getting the bug and burdening their kids with a LIFE LONG Everton relationship (would have it no other way).

But what makes this such a touch for EFC is that we have capitalised on this massive exposure with the tonking of the household soccer names like Man Utd and Chelsea that define the EPL for most Americans, with Donovan no doubt leading the way in the local press.

This is good... really good for Everton. This insures that a new generation of Evertonians that have limitless commercial potential could have been born.

My point, however long-winded, is summed up by saying that, whatever the MLS want for Landon (I don't actually see what they've got to do with it), then we should fund the move, on the pitch, off the pitch... and in the hope of Everton becoming an international sporting icon, like Man Utd or the LA Lakers, I sincerely hope we do.
coyb and much love to all ya American Toffees. That includes you, Uncle Dermot.

I really believe Donovan is pulling the strings much tighter than could be perceived from the outside.

Signing Landon is a must, with Fellaini injured for the rest of the season. I think we might only increase his loan till the end of the season as we don’t have a proverbial pot to piss in.

Hello from the US. One topic that has come up here is the parallel in the situation LD has here to what Beckham had last year at AC MIlan. DB did very well and took a lot of flak for wanting to extend his loan to improve his chances to make the WC side.

LD has been diplomatic about wanting to extend his stay here to avoid the same slagging Beckham got. It’s worth noting that LD and DB settled their differences and are getting on fine now.

However, I think since Major League Soccer set a precedent by letting DB extend his stay, they would be foolish not to do the same here.

It seems like a no-brainer. What better way to prepare for the June US/England WC match then by playing at the top level in that country?

Currently, there is a labor issue that may affect the start of the MLS season, so it may just well be that LD may be able to extend his stay a bit.

As a US and MLS fan, I have to say that I hope he stays with Everton. What he does there will only help US soccer!

Thanks for reading and "Up the Blues".

Short but directly to the point, do we have a hope in hell of keeping Landon Donovan after the loan period expires?

Dan,
To answer your question — yes, we do stand every chance of getting Landon Donovan to stay. The matter is in his hands with the MLS either saying yes or no to him - that is why there is the chance.

I said previously, "What’s the betting that Donovan is wanting to stay and the wheels are already in motion to extend the loan deal with LA Galaxy?"

If you were Moysie, wouldn’t you think it’s worth trying?

I am a native Californian and a former footballer turned cyclist who has watched the career of Mr Donovan since his high school days in the Ontario/Redlands area east of Los Angeles. I am also a big Galaxy fan and former LA Aztec fan (the defunct NASL Pro team that once employed George Best!). I am also familiar with the situation with Mr Donovan and will try to give the readers here what is going on with the possibility of a transfer.

Currently, Landon is under contract to the Galaxy for four more years. He signed the deal to extend his contract, which still had two years to run, before he was loaned to Everton in order to sharpen his game before the World Cup and to have another shot at Europe.

The LA Galaxy are owned by the AEG Group, one of the most powerful entertainment groups on the planet. (They were to finance and promote Michael Jackson's tour before his death.) I believe they still own the Millennium Dome, the Staples center (home of the LA Lakers and LA Clipper NBA team) and of course the Home Depot Center that include an indoor velodrome, a track and field stadium and Tennis Stadium and a myriad a training facilities.

Phil Ashultz, who owns AEG, makes Glazer, Hicks and Gillette look like pikers. To make a long story short, they do not need money. Neither do the LA Galaxy who were the first MLS team to post an operating profit (and continue to do so) BEFORE the arrival of Beckham.

Outside of the odd shiek or russian oilman, Anshultz is probably the richest man to own a football team. But he is so low key and very dearly wants to keep out of the spotlight. They are also very savvy business men. They were one of co-founder and bankrollers of the MLS.

So there is NO economic incentive to sell Donovan. Unlike other countries, the MLS is set up under a single ownership entity. The MLS owns the right to Landon Donovan, but AEG have the operating rights to the Galaxy. The buying and selling of players is a joint operation. In a way, all the clubs in the MLS own a little bit o’ Donovan...

Now this is you might say a "sticky wicket" for the MLS now own players' rights almost in perpetuity. It is almost obvious that the MLS, the Galaxy and AEG are "marketing" Donovan. The success of homegrown footballers at home and abroad is vitally important for the growth of the MLS. The WC and a relatively successful tournament by the US will add to its marketability at home.

The "Designated Player" rule or "Beckham Rule", designed to attract and buy high-priced footballers, has had some success. The LA Galaxy has realized far more value from marketing Beckham than they ever received from him as a footballer. Indeed, ask anyone who is knowledgeable about football in LA and ask that person who is the most valuable player and 10/10 will answer Donovan!

Remember, Landon Donovan has nabbed SIX Player of the Year awards, countless MVP’s, scored WC goals against Portugal and goals against Brazil and captained the defeat of Spain in the ConFed cup last summer. He is arguably the best footballer in the country and is something the UK, the EPL and the British Press are finding out.

So, with all this info, everybody wants to know: Can he stay? Right now it looks good! Here’s why...

The MLS and the MLS players' union are LOCKED and almost stalemated over player rights a la the Boseman ruling. Both sides refuse to give in and a lot is at stake. With the WC looming, a strile is unfathonable. The players all know, this is the chance as they have some leverage. But a prolonged strike would severely compomise any player's (except maybe Donovan’s) chance to make the US team and would force Bob Bradly to look at the second-tier European players more closely should the MLS players have no games leading to the WC.

If this is the case, Donovan would certainly demand, and the MLS would acquiesce, to a loan extension! So. Evertonians should hope for an MLS strike.

A permanent transfer? ...perhaps. But unless the MLS strikes, no thought of a permanent transfer till after the WC. Transfer cost?? That’s the sticker. Jozy Altidore holds the US Transfer record at $10M, Donovan is certainly worth more.

How well the US and Donovan does at the WC will set the price. Do not be shocked to find out the price to be around the £10-14M mark.

Will this price him out of the Everton Market? Yes and NO. Why? I’ll tell you in the next installment....

Tom Ponsford - excellent, thanks for the insight (well, half of it anyway). Do tell the rest, though, you sound like the wife........

If the strike will help, I say, "OUT, brothers, OUT! Thatcher’s no here any more."

Tom - hope you’re still there.

Thanks - this was just what I was hoping for from my post. A sort of ’West Wing’ insight.

The diplomatic echoes here are that Moyes is saying he will never be disrespectful to a player’s club’s contractual obligations.

Very David Moyes. He didn’t say no.

Esperemos.

We live in hope.

ps Tom

If you ever want a bike ride, sod that nancy Marin stuff over there, come to the Cheshire lanes to build yourself up, up over the hills into Staffordshire, and be ready for the fastest track in the world at the Manchester Velodrome. Live a little.