photo by Chris Brunskill/ISIphotos.com
By FRANCO PANIZO
It's time to locate and dust off your Landon Donovan Everton jerseys, because the U.S. men's national team midfielder is heading back to the English club.
The Los Angeles Galaxy and Everton have agreed to a two-month loan deal for Donovan that will run until Feb. 25, the Galaxy announced on Thursday. The loan will be similar to the one Donovan was on with the Toffees in the opening months of 2010.
"The opportunity to return to Everton and play for such a well-respected club and a manager that I hold in such high regard was something that was simply too good to pass up," Donovan said in a Galaxy press release. "I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Everton in 2010 and I'm hopeful that we can experience similar success this time around. I want to thank David Moyes and Bruce Arena, as well as executives from both clubs and Major League Soccer for allowing me this unique and special opportunity."
Donovan's loan spell will take place over the course of nine games (eight Premiership and one FA Cup), the first of which will be a home fixture against Bolton Wanderers on January 4. His final match will take place when Everton travels to Anfield to take on Liverpool in the Merseyside derby.
Another intriguing match during Donovan's stay is when Tottenham Hotspur hosts Everton. The match will hold significant interest as it will pit Donovan against former U.S. national team goalkeeper Brad Friedel, who recently made comments towards Donovan's unwillingness to play in Europe.
Other matches during Donovan's loan include a visit to Aston Villa on Jan. 14, and home games at Goodison Park against Premiership heavyweights Manchester City and Chelsea on Feb. 1 and 11, respectively.
The loan means Donovan will miss the U.S. men's national team's annual January camp, though he could be called in for a friendly on February 29 should the United States schedule a game on that international fixture date.
Regardless, Donovan will return to the Galaxy in time for its CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals series against Toronto FC. The first leg of that series takes place on March 7.
Donovan had hinted about the loan on Thursday morning, tweeting "Once a Toffee, always a Toffee".
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What do you think of this development? Think Donovan will have as much success on this stint as he did last time? Are you hoping the loan turns into a permanent deal?
Share your thoughts below.
Pretty sure if it was his child, that he would have been ordered to take a Paternity test already given as how he’s about to go work there again for 2 months…
If the MLS did a group stage/elimination stage tourney with the Championship. Which teams would make it to the final 16 and whom would the semi-finalists be?
To do that he’d actually have to sign with them, not do a cameo appearance. Plus Spurs will destroy them that make-up game Jan 11 at White Hart Lane.
Merry Christmas! {Punch} Happy Hanukkah! {Punch} Happy Holidays! {Punch} Score on Friedel {Punch} {Punch} {Punch}…
Good points all, by all six of you. I hope LD does well. And that he doesn’t get hurt.
Yeah, it really came full circle. 😉
lol look at the conversation you guys just had…
Friedel would Debo him really badly. And Lando is no Ice Cube.
Let’s hope he stays in Merseyside. I can’t wait to watch him suit up in blue again.
Nice 😉
I believe the Donovan love child rumor ultimately proved to be false. While Donovan didn’t deny the possibility initially, it ended up that he was not the father.
nice!
Pumped for LD to test himself against the best competition in the world once again. If you are a US supporter you should be excited about this. At no cost to the quality of MLS play, we have an American balling with the best. This experience will only bode well for the Nats. As a young american… would you rather pose questions to an mls vet… or someone who has experienced the pace of the epl?
Yeah really talk about mixed metaphors.
Donovan actually took Arteta’s spot. I don’t think they played together more than twice. Arteta came back right after Donovan left. And if you ask any Toffee supporter, they’ll tell you, Donovan was far superior.
are you suggesting that the Galaxy underspends? I think the rest of the MLS would beg to differ.