Galaxy Forward Donovan Assessing Transfer Options

They have to let him go. It would be horrible for US Soccer if he was forced to stay here. I think his stint at Everton is the major reason why he played so well in the World Cup. If the MLS starts holding players hostage, then fewer young players from other countries will consider using the MLS as a spring board to the big leagues in Europe. The MLS needs to be able to draw YOUNG talent instead of being the pasture where Euro-stars come do die.

He should go he should he will be playing with the big boys and he will get better, staying here will not always work. Look at Brazil, their leagues suck but they have great layers in Europe, same with Argentina.

Donovan deserves to go play with the best. I hope he gets a shot. Go Sounders!

The only way the MLS is going to grow is to allow its top players go overseas. They get a large chunk of change to put back into the league (should be mandatory, not to the owners). It will give European clubs faith that the US does produce some young talent which they can develop.

There is nothing wrong with the MLS to play a developmental role to other countries. Unless soccer takes off and gets a large TV contract it will remain a lower level league. This is not a bad thing, find their nitche and stick with it.

We have more players overseas now who got their start in the MLS. The majority of them are quality players who start for their teams. You do not score 6-8 goals on a sub par team in the EPL by being a bad player.

If the MLS does something stupid with Donovan, like ask for a 15-20 million transfer amount he will go. But they tend to over value their players. Donovan's Market value is 12.5-15 tops, too many other quality players out there.

Hope he goes to the EPL and does well. Would love to see him back with Everton, he fit in very well there and the fans loved him. That is very important to gain the respect of EPL fans.

"Mr. Garber doesn't realize that the growing reputation of the MSL depends heavily in the long run on the willingness of U.S. born players to play and succeed in the EPL and other European leagues, thereby reducing the barriers and internationalizing the U.S. game."

i couldnt agree more. at the most basic, soccer is a sport and any true athlete is always trying to push his development in the sport to the next level. For Landon, the EPL is the next level.

At its most comlpex, soccer is a business and in order to be a major player in the buisness worl you must buy and sell. i can see Garber's reason for hesitation, losing your best product. even with the transfer fee there is no guarantee that the Galaxy or MLS get their value for what/whoever they spend the money on...but it has to bedone. if Landon cant be sold, no one will even bother to take a look at the others.

Only way the MLS is going to get better is to pay better and open the flood gates on "designated" aka "non-US born" players. The MLS is a place for post college soccer players to play in the states that don't have the talent to sign on overseas. Allow more foreign talent to play in the league elevating the level of play on the pitch. Until then you will continue to have past their prime foreign players and not good enough talent gracing us with their presence. Let Landy go!

It's funny how everyone is always saying that the US lacks good players and the US lacks plays that can make the MLS great...YET players always leave...

Kinda seems counter intuitive..."Let's make US Soccer great!...btw I'm leaving to the EPL"

...

As a fan Of the EPL, La Liga, Serie A, the Argentine, and Brazillian leagues; I can say that what MLS lacks is a league that features Promotion/Relegation and a single table with no salary cap. MLS lacks GAMES that really mean something.

Donovan would be more valuable to MLS worldwide if MLS can show that it can produce ELITE players. Look to Mexico and you see some outstanding players like Marquez and "Chicharito" Hernandez, not to mention past greats like Hugo Sanchez.

It benefits USSoccer if Donovan moves on to prove himself a standout at an elite level in the top competitions. See what Europa Cup winner Diego Forlan has done.

I hope Garber has the sense to see that Donovan moving to a top league is good in more ways than it is bad.

As a Galaxy fan I hate to see him go however, go get them Landon. You by far deserve it.

Go Down Moses,
To MLS Land,
Tell old Garber,
Let our Donovan Go!!

And take $8M-$10M in the process. MLS is producing talent. Dempsey started in MLS, remember. When you get good enough, you move on.

If Donovan is "an incredibly important part of the American soccer movement", why try to hold him back in the MLS and not let him play in a better league? It was his international play that gained all the attention, not playing for the Galaxy. Garber only wants to keep him here to increase MLS revenue by cashing in on Donovan's success at the World Cup and selling more jerseys. If he gave a rat's @#$% about US soccer he'd step aside when top players want to go overseas.

Fillup if we mandate the 75% rule it will be a very BAD league. The reason the EPL is the best league is because they allow players from all over the world. The EPL are wanting to implement the same rule that you suggest but 50% and that WILL KILL that league. You should put out the best that you can.
The real problem is when they play and it can't be changed because it CAN'T compete w/American Football which is the SPORT of America. It can and will overtake baseball but the heat that these guys play in is terrible and I believe it is a problem w/the game overall as there is just no way to sustain for 90 minutes in that sort of heat...I hope it succeeds but you may be right it will fold

After watching the so-called MLS soccer all-star game last night for 43 minutes I repeat MLS is a league where soccer careers go to die. They will bring in has-beens and in future one team will financially collapse and then another until the MLS suspends operations as we will be told. The MLS should be a league that mandates 75% of each team should be american born players. Than watch the national team go to town. That, However is not likely to happen as now we have investors who know little of soccer just the bottom line. They will try to get out at the top and drop the team on the suckers that follow.

I may be wrong but didn't the MLS make Donovan sign an extension before they would allow him to be loaned to Everton?

This is, realistically at 28, Donovan's last chance to shine in Europe as bright as he could. He could wait to go over as long as McBride did and have great success but this next contract will be his golden years. It's sad MLS and the Galaxy are holding him back. It actually pisses me off as an American soccer fan.