Dec

World Cup bound Donovan heading to Goodison

Work permit resolved for American star

There is no doubt that Landon Donovan is highly regarded in the world of US soccer, he has been voted the best player in the nation for six of the last eight seasons but in Europe, he has never really cut it.

Donovan had a disappointing spell at Bayer Leverkusen at a young age, nothing wrong with that, many youngsters would find it difficult to settle in a foreign country. Donovan returned to America and quickly established a reputation for himself as an attacking midfielder.

So much so that Bayern Munich took the player on loan last season but again, Donovan failed to make any impact on the European game.

In all honesty, Donovan’s name is more associated with his spat with David Beckham as opposed to any on-field endeavours. This may be unfair on the player but it is easy to see why the average British football fan has taken little interest in his credentials.

Up until Beckham, the UK interest in the MLS was fairly limited and after seeing Beckham play, the realisation that the standard of the league was quite low was reinforced on a weekly basis. The top players could travel the world and play anywhere but the majority of players are of a lower standard than many of the top European leagues.

With the World Cup looming, Landon Donovan has a double incentive to play well in England. On a personal level, he will want to build his reputation in Europe and prove he is better than what his critics say.

And of course, the desire to get a good build-up to the World Cup and prepare himself for battling England, Algeria and Slovenia will be very strong in the player.

Donovan can probably expect to get some good natured abuse from the opposition fans if he gets any game time with Everton but that may inspire the player to grab some headlines and make a name for himself.

Everton are badly in need of a shot in the arm this season and good performances by Donovan may be more important for Davie Moyes than the American!

Everton fans, can Donovan push you up the table?