What’s next for Landon Donovan?

Way back in March, after coming back to SoCal after his loan to Bayern Munich, Landon told me he wanted to play in Europe after the 2009 Major League Soccer season.

Given that he just won the MVP award and was, of course, voted into the MLS top XI … what else is he going to accomplish in MLS, at age 27?

A reader sent a thoughtful and, perhaps, well-informed piece on Donovan’s options for the coming year.

It was in response to an item done here a month or two ago about Donovan potentially going to Paris St.-Germain in France.

The note is too good, I think, to be posted as a comment in a part of the blog none of you may ever see, so I’m putting it up right here. It comes from someone who identified themselves as … 51NC3PONG

Here it is.

“The day after the MLS Cup Final there were web posts unofficially linking Landon Donovan with four clubs. The clubs were Livorno, Paris St.-Germain, Glasgow Celtic, and (most wildly on some English talk-radio show) Liverpool.

“Assuming all these clubs have actual interest, and that’s a big if, I find it difficult to believe that any of them would be a good fit for Donovan.

“There is a small but growing contingent of American footballers who are stuck in a sort of limbo. Their wage and transfer fee valuations are too great for the budget of clubs where they would be likely to start in the first team, and their reputation isn’t considered to have a fine enough football pedigree at the bigger clubs that can afford to spend that kind of money. Thus the usual story of an American going to a high-profile club is that regardless of how well they might be training and playing, they inevitably end up buried deep in the squad in favor of European/African/South American players who are considered known quantities playing at that “level”. There have been exceptions to this, but not many.

“So, assuming that the rumors have any shred of truth to them you would have to assume that: Liverpool would be an awful choice. It would be like Leverkusen all over again for Donovan. Regardless of how well he played or trained, I doubt he’d be given a second glance at Anfield. It would be a classic case of what I call a “Glass Display Case” transfer. Meaning that the club purchasing the player has only done so to collect a name player as cover for whoever else is currently favored in the team at that position. Although PSG might be the best option, it seems like more of a lateral move. Donovan moves to a “better neighborhood” but the question is would he be given more than two matches to show he belongs? Certainly Leverkusen failed to afford him that opportunity. Scottish football is hard on the bones, and sometimes they play in what could be described as rainy slop, but Parkhead might be the best destination of the four for Donovan. Livorno would be the same sort of Glass Case deal that Onyewu was dealing with at the San Siro – or is it the Guiseppe Meazza?, they never seem able to make up their minds in Milan.

“I think the best case scenario for Donovan would be a second tier European or British club that has a better than average shot at promotion to the top. It would be fun if this sort of opportunity leads him back to Germany, as I imagine he would be highly motivated to kick the spaghetti out of Leverkusen and Bayern Munich at every possible opportunity. What better thing could you hope for than the chance to make the people that doubted your ability look like idiots?”

OK, now it’s back to me. Thanks for the post, 51NC3.

A couple of things here …

1. Unless the money is really good, I can’t see Donovan going to any second-division team. Even in England. His profile is too high to allow that.

2. The Galaxy still holds two one-year options on Landon. Unless they have some sudden change of mind (and, yes, Landon is close with coach/GM Bruce Arena), I can’t see the team or the league giving up its most marketable American player for some middling transfer fee … nor do I see a Euro club paying a big transfer fee.

So … Donovan may do a winter stint with another club, as he did with Bayern last January-February … but our sense is that the Galaxy will have him back in March.

It’s also a World Cup year. Off the MLS season Donovan just had, and his strong Confederations Cup performance, this is a good time to move. But moving after a strong World Cup would be an even better moment — if MLS/Galaxy allows it.

We shall see.  I’ll ask Landon, see if he feels in a position to speculate. So many options right now.