Ah, but what if you’d come out in the press and attacked a certain Mr Beckham for doing the same thing a couple of years back? :) It certainly poses a bit of a dilemma for Donovan now that he too has been properly bitten by the European football bug.

I really hope he stays as I think he’s been a revelation, certainly better than I thought he would be — and I was fairly optimistic about him having seen how well he’s done at international level.

It may be that this potential MLS strike is the best path to him staying. Moyesey gets to keep his word about not forcing the issue and Landon gets to save face.

I wasn’t aware of the possibility of an MLS strike. What’s going on out there?

Aiden, this explains what’s happening: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/soccer/02/21/mls.labor.ap/index.html

I hope it gets sorted- I’ve got tickets to DC United’s home opener when I’m on holiday there at easter

I’m willing to bet that the lad is desperate to stay. He’s playing for a team that’s just hit form, the fans love him and it’s probably the best preperation for the World Cup he could possibly get.

Moyes wants him, he wants to stay, it just comes down to money I guess which sadly we have none of until the Sky money comes around in August.

Loan out Vaughan and Anichebe and use their wages to pay for Donovan... done. Come on strike.

An MLS strike is looking very unlikely. The game has such a low profile here in the States that if the league loses the precarious toehold it has fought to gain in the American sports consciousness, it could die. Both sides — players and league — are aware of this inescapable fact, so I don’t see any work stoppage in the future.

What’s going on now is pure posturing by a toothless players’ association — most of them wouldn’t be able to find regular football outside of MLS. Donovan is going back to LA at the end of the loan, unfortunately.

I do think, however, that Moyes is working hard on something, judging by how guarded he’s been when questioned directly about Donovan. Perhaps a Beckford-esque ’deal in principle’ once the World Cup is done?

Hope he stays. Failing that N’Zogbia might be an option.

By the way, as comments have been closed for some unknown reason, I think Heitinga is proving to be one of Moyes’ most inspirational signings.

Come, on guys, we’ve surely learnt something from the past 2 pre-seasons / deadline cut-off points.

You’ve got Option 1 — BK gives Moysey the green light to sort a deal extension out right now and EFC commit to pay Donovan’s salary til May. Donovan then picks up a nasty injury — out for 6 weeks — and EFC / BK pick up a nice bill for no return... or

Option 2 — wait til he’s played his last game — presumably against say Hull at home or away to Brum — then BK commits to paying for a contract extension and let’s Moysey broach it with Landon, his agent and MLS.

Which one would you say is favourite then?

Thanks Richard

Donovan is heading back to California, because Everton can’t afford him. Having just signed a new four-year deal, and having made a big impact during his loan, he is going to cost £9-million ($15mm), and there is no way around it with gimmicks or barters. That amount will even increase if he has a strong showing in South Africa.

Last year, MLS and the Galaxy received amazing concessions from Milan just to extend Beckham’s loan by 3 months: $10-million cash, a friendly at LA with the Galaxy keeping 100% of the gate, participation in the World Football Challenge (run by MLS’s marketing arm), and Beckham waived his opt-out clause. The reality is that’s the baseline you’re working with, and with all due respect, Everton doesn’t quite have the sizzle that Milan do when it comes to friendlies or pre-season tournaments.

You can call MLS a Mickey Mouse league, but they (unlike the Championship) sell players to the continent’s top flights, and MLS would rather lose a player on a Bosman, than sell a player cheaply. In the New York offices, they don’t have the class system mentality that most European football executives do; so don’t expect them to sell just because that’s the system.

If Landon has a decent showing in South Africa, my guess is that he’ll be at Man City in August. They don’t have any effective wingers to speak of, and £9-12-million is a drop in the bucket for them. I really don’t see them finishing fourth, so you can rule out a lot of the “world class” signings that Abu Dhabi will be dreaming about. All things considered, Donovan would be a major upgrade for them.

Call it another case of football’s screwed financial system.

Spot on Lyndon, I was going to mention the whole Beckham thing there. Donovan made such a stink about Beckham not taking the LA Galaxy seriously since Beckham was maneuvering for a permanent transfer to AC Milan that he would really come off like a hypocrite. Of course, Landon never anticipated his own European prospects at the time either. I still contend that Landon has enough influence to get things done - but at the same time, MLS will want to capitalize on "Landon’s successful return" to fill the seats and heighten TV ratings especially in a World Cup year.

You can’t say that Moyes and Everton haven’t tried to turn his head though. Subbing him off at Man City in order to get applause from the fans, being "named" player of the month, putting him on display at an Everton store for autographs with a line that went out the door and around the corner. Not so subtle in my mind. I will say this though Landon’s been very quiet about it; which is smart. Who knows, maybe that means they’re cooking up something, or it could also mean that everything is going to go as scheduled. I think at the end of the day he isn’t going to be able to stay.

Good info there, John Mc. I wasn’t aware of how much AC Milan yielded in order to keep Beckham longer. Where did you find that out, by the way? It would be an interesting read. Was that the Wahl book?

Maybe you would know; I heard on various sites that the new contract Landon signed was to give him the flexibility to go on loan and/or to ensure that MLS or the Galaxy would get compensation if he left permanently?

If Donovan himself wants it enough, a way will be found. The players have all the power these days, sadly in many ways. And stuff Beckham, why wouldn’t he want it now? It’s gone really well for him, and this club has a habit of getting under people’s skin (in a good way!). If this is the difference he can make to the team, spend the money!

Always fun to search the world wide interweb after someone posts something that says something is basically going to NOT happen....
Here’s a story from today from the Associated Press in NYC:

The union for Major League Soccer players accused management of failing to bargain seriously and would not say whether it would play under the terms of its expired labor contract. A day after the M.L.S. president, Mark Abbott, went public with the league’s offer to start the season March 25 as scheduled without a new deal, the union issued a statement that left open the possibility of the league’s first strike.

Hello from the Colonies...

I had mentioned the points discussed above in a separate email string on TW on the LD topic.

As Lyndon points out, LD did make some comments about Beckham’s arrangement w/ AC Milan. However, DB and LD had a man to man chat when DB got back (which should have happened before LD made the comments he did, as he did admit). They worked out their issues and were both key to making it to the MLS Final. I do not think there will be as big an issue now.

As said in the other string, I think 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, especially when you consider the upside for LD and USA soccer. What better way to prepare for the June US/England WC match then by playing at the top level in that country?

As noted, 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!

Up the Blues...

At the end of the day — god that sounds corny — Donovan has done well for us, and importantly, we have done well for him, and he obviously enjoys his football here with us.

I think a lot of it is up to him; if he wants to stay or come back again, the ball is in his court. What I would say is he has settled straight in done well against top level opponents and nowdays, for £6-£9mill, fucking buy him.

So there you are.

Landon Donovan. Possibly not only the US, but any overseas player who found his feet in the England top flight so quickly. Going back to 3rd Division West after Chelsea and ManU?

Money will come into it of course, but if it can be done, it will be done.

It’s probably going to cost more than £6-9 mill. MLS has a giant chip on its shoulder when it comes to dealing with European clubs (see highway robbery of Milan re: Beckham), and Donovan is far-and-away the best player in the league. MLS wouldn’t let Jozy Altidore (decent at Hull, by the way) leave in 2008 until Villarreal ponied up about $10 million (roughly £6.5 million). I’d be surprised if they let Donovan leave for less than $20 million (about £13 million).

Sorry boys, don’t mean to be all doom and gloom. Hopefully Moyes has something up his sleeve. Donovan’s good for EFC, and EFC is great for Donovan.

Agree with Richard, Donovan probably has the leverage needed to get a deal done. MLS Season Tickets and PPV Season Passes will militate that Donovan return for a bit this summer. After that... it’s all fair game.

2 Notes:

1. The Collective Bargaining Agreement, when eventually agreed to and signed between the Players Union and the MLS, may well affect Donovan’s contract... by design.

2. When the US Players were about to strike before the 2006 World Cup, Donovan spent several hours on a plane with the head of US Soccer to hammer out player bonus details. Don’t think for two seconds that LD doesn’t wield considerable influence. It’s pretty clear that MLS, LD & Everton are trying to maximize LD’s benefits in a three way win-win-win scenario.

I know we can't buy players outside the window, but could we loan a couple of our players out to LA Galaxy to cover for Donovan until the end of the season?

Victor and Vaughany could do with a bit of sunshine on their backs as they get good fitness in time for the pre-season — maybe the Yak too! >Any commbination as long as we aren't left short — there could be a useful deal to suit both parties here...

All this about Donovan being a hyprocrite or not, Moyes won’t want to be called the same if he attempts a Lescott on the Galaxy.

Although I’m not entirely with Moyes on his on-field tactics, Moyes generally comes up good on the transfer market. Another player can replace Donovan next summer (make that last day of September).

Anyone calling Donovan a hypocrite is ridiculous: Beckham was paid something like $200m to play games and improve the profile of the league; instead he pissed off to Italy, and when he was in the States he was late to training or injured; he was extremely unprofessional.

Meanwhile Donovan’s given something like 10 years of dedication to MLS only to be pushed out of the spotlight at the first opportunity.

Let's be fair, he is decent but not worth more than £5 million, especially not if Man City got Johnson for £7M. I like the mention of N’Zog — he is a player!

Well I certainly never said he was a hypocrite. But because he’d be doing what Becks did, it MIGHT generate the perception. American fans (aside from Galaxy fans) want him to stay, so there wouldn’t be a backlash in the fan base — I mean he is generating more excitement in the US team and a lot of interest in Everton over here.

What Donovan needs is a high ranker from the US saying that he should stay, like Nats coach Bob Bradley or any US Soccer honcho. Then no one would look the bad guy — MLS and Donovan can say that he’s doing it for the national team, and Everton can say we never pressured MLS (like Milan did) and we get to heighten our profile in the US as a club that gives Yanks a chance. Win-win!

My soccer-playing and watching American friends would LOVE for LD to play longer at Everton. There is also a lot of interest in Everton because of him being there. Most people don’t have any real affinity for a team so they would choose Everton most likely.

There has been no sense of it being him selling out or leaving MLS high and dry; they feel he deserves a chance to try and make it with Everton and at the highest level of the game.

And they REALLY want Team USA to beat England in June...

Austin TX USA

I didn't like this yank. Loud-mouthed and slagging his captain. He's from the US so he must be overrated. What the hell is this 'soccer' crap? But he's shown he can mix it with the big boys. On top of his pace and direct running, I like the clever use of elbows and 'making his presence' felt. A bit of Cahill in him. We need more players like him on board.

The point of this post though is for the conspiracist in every one of us. Whereas before the Sky4 would kick lumps out of us and not let us play, they are now cutting back on the bullying as they don't wish to damage their image on the other major English speaking country, the USA.

Kicking Landon, and Everton, would affect their club image on the US shores, where Sky4 are aggressively marketing their club and merchandise. Everton can do no harm than to ensure Landon's image is remained intact and untarnished (unlike Beckham) during his stay at Goodison.

I think we are really going over the top with Mr Donovan, he has played better than I expected, but to then start talking about £9mil, £13mil... come on!!

My slant on this is we have no pace in the team, especially wide. Bilyetdinov, though looking a highly skilled player, does not give us the pace we thought he would. Donovan on the other hand is a rocket, not as fast as Kanchelskis possibly, but enough to frighten a few defences.

Evertonians desperate for a pacey winger see him as a prize asset for the club and in the short term he is, but as Rich pointed out there are better, younger players out there — N'Zogbia, who will possibly be available in the summer.

I would be happy for Mr Donovan to stay for the rest of the season, but to spend what will probably be our total transfer budget on him would be a mistake.

You cant match the atmosphere of a derby, a Utd game or a full house at a night match at Goodison like against Chelsea.

Donovan playing in front of a paltry crowd at the Home Depot Stadium or Pizza Hut Park, Dallas made up mainly of Soccer Moms & kids would soon pine to return to the glitz of the EPL...

Look, to echo what Larry Boner has said, are we not getting carried away here?

The lad has been fantastic for us & for a decent price (between £2 & 5million) I’d take him in a heartbeat, but to start talking £9-13 million is absolutley ridiculous!! I would also like to know where these figures are coming from??

It really should highlight to Moyes how desperate we have been for a direct wide midfielder. We haven't had one since Andrei or Anders!!

And Charles N’Zogbia is not the answer, honestly — just watch him play a full match... he’s a liability!

Agree entirely, N’Zogbia not the answer , Anders or Andrei would be great. I don’t see us having £10m transfer budget unless we sell.

Interesting article on the official site right now, with Landon again basically saying he wants to stay, and says he expects to be back here at some point in the future.

Interesting stuff, quite a strong statement to say he expects to return — even if probably the best we can hope for is another loan next year.

American sportsmen are more articulate and media savvy to typical English players, ie Tiger Woods and his apology.

Donovan is under contract to the MLS he is their number one player and with a World Cup coming up he doesnt want to upset anybody over there. After the World Cup, I expect Donovan to sign and the fee will be less than £6m. He is 28 he has another 4 years at the top still left in him and he will want to play that in the EPL not the MLS.

Here’s the link to that article Matt was on about:
http://www.evertonfc.com/news/archive/donovan-expects-return.html

Very interesting read... What does everyone else think