Which European Soccer Team Would Suit Landon Donovan Best?

By: Daryl | August 28th, 2009

Don’t laugh. Despite his past failures (2001 and 2005 with Bayer Leverkusen, 2009 with Bayern Munich) Landon Donovan is clearly talented enough to play his football in Europe. Somewhere in Europe anyway. The only question is: Where?

Donovan has recently been linked with Livorno in Italy, and with PSG in France. But neither team has taken the plunge yet.

So with the transfer window starting to slide shut and Donovan not getting any younger (he’s only 27, but won’t be all that long before someone books a room for his 30th birthday party) the time to move is now.

If you were Landon Donovan’s agent, where would you advise him to go?

Obviously Germany’s a bad idea. If your third time’s not lucky, then it’s just not happening. Any really big club seems like a bad idea too, because what Donovan really needs is first team football. Despite technically having moved to Europe three times, Donovan has never once had a good run of games. I’m sure Real Madrid and Barcelona fans will be devestated.

He could do what every other American has done, and head for Fulham. Only downside is that in some ways Clint Dempsey already has the American attacking mid role sewn up at Craven Cottage. Maybe Everton? Tim Howard’s already there, they’ve had a rough start to the season, they’ve got money to spend after selling Lescott, and that’s definitely a squad where Donovan could compete for a spot on the right wing.

Or if there are no Premier League takers, then how about a shrewd move to the Championship? Newcastle have made a decent start to the season, so that might be an opportunity to hop on a big ship while it’s being raised from the ocean floor.

But it doesn’t have to be England. A move to Celtic or Rangers in Scotland could definitely work. Donovan could take his frustrations out on St. Mirren and send the highlight reels back home. Or maybe PSG isn’t such a bad idea. It’s a respectably big club, and – while there’d be competition for places (Ludovic Giuly for example) – he’d stand more chance of playing there than at Bayern.

Hard to picture Donovan in Spain for some reason, but I’m sure someone like Mallorca or Espanyol could use him. And if not Livorno in Italy, then how about Roma? It would be worth it just to read Chris’s reaction I think.

And the good thing about Europe is that it’s massive. There are plenty of football leagues to choose from. The Eredivise has been pretty kind to Americans like DaMarcus Beasley and Michael Bradley, so why not try his luck somewhere like PSV? Eredivise guarantees plenty of attacking football, and is already a safehaven for another man with a history of misadventures in Europe.

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Category: World Football

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Dokièh

I think he will be good in Premier League. Maybe in Everton, Fulham or even Tottenham or Aston Villa. Other European countries? Well, I don't really think so. He would fit in Eredivisie though. In AJAX.
PocketKings

WTF? Is Landon in cahoots with my wife in trying to ruin my obsessive soccer viewing? He keeps getting trials with my favorite teams. First it was Bayern Munich, now PSG & Livorno? Will he ruin Arsenal and Barcelona for me as well?

But then again, at least he will be out of the MLS... It might just be worth it.
Gene

I think he needs to go to a smaller team, either in Italy, France, or England. Both PSG and Livorno moves would have been good ones. I still hope one of those happens.

Like one of the commenters above, I am afraid MLS is going to want too much for him, scaring off smaller teams. Succeeding on a big team is going to be a problem. Donovan's play at Bayern actually wasn't that bad, he looked like he belonged. But he did not stand out, which is what you'd expect from a player for whom you're shelling out huge amounts of money. You think Man U or Barcelona are going to be calling any time soon after that experience?
Fwembt

He needs to go to one of the lesser leagues. I really think the Old Firm would be the best place for him. Ultimately, he's a bit player for a good team and a first XI guy on a bad one. He's just not good enough to force his way on to a decent team in a major league.
Jakewest

How about pieces of shite united? or self righteous wankers fc depending on how douschy he is feeling that particular week.
Lee

I think he should go to the Eredivsie.
andersen

no epl team would sign him. He's small, and not strong at all. He would be torn to pieces. At least robinho can push people off the ball (authors note: must be first ever donovan/robinho comparison).

If through a combination of magic and an injury to Milijas, wolves throw money away on him, I guarantee he will be injured for south africa.

I can't see him starting at any European top division team outside of holland or belgium.
mlyons

matt - Arteta, while injured right now, is most likely going to be used as a deep-lying central midfield playmaker when he returns. That's where Moyes had him in the run of matches before his knee injury, and it most likely will be an even better fit for him after knee surgery, since he's probably going to lose what little pace he had.

They're most likely going to use the new Russian guy on the right wing for now. He's left-footed, but Moyes seems to like players who cut in from the wings on their off foot. Donovan would also fit that role relatively well.
Nicole

La Liga would suit him best. I sincerely hope he gets the chance to go in January.
MoMONEY

French League would suit him best but I dont see him going anywhere to be honest...
matt

doesn't arteta technically play on the right for everton? pienaar is on the left..they've got cahill and/or fellaini they put behind the strikers...i'm not sure that's best for him.

i don't think italy suits him. counter attacking suits him but i just don't see him doing it. he wouldn't have a spot, i dont think on a top end french club (lyon, bordeaux, marseille)...smaller league would probably be better. it'd be nice to see him in spain or england or italy because they're all on tv here but i think it'd be the dutch league that's the best fit
Sam Gamgee

Send him to the Enemy. Send him to play for Club America in Mexico.
timmyg

Whatever European team will pay the exorbitant fee MLS will demand for him is what will suit Donovan. I wouldn't be surprised if they charged over $20million for him.

Donovan wants to go and he needs to go. But its going to be a bit difficult in finding the right suitor financially.
Sterling

Considering how broke Roma is, I still think they could cough up 2 million Euros for 'Cakes.
Daryl

I'd be very happy to see Donovan at Wolves. Would love to see him playing just behind Doyle for example. Wouldn't like to choose between Donovan and Kightly on the right wing though.

Other small potential upside, any team that signs Donovan would suddenly get a lot more exposure on US television and in US media.
Toby

Wolves, I reckon he could do a job from the bench...
SP

sevilla... it's what my fm2009 told me
tom

i've always thought Ajax would be a fantastic fit for him

big club historically in a state of rebuilding
the club is consistantly looking for sr. leadership
team (total) football suits his game
loyal fans who'd match his enthusiasm for the move
not a far cry for the level of competition he is playing so well against now
amsterdam is a great city, full of english speakers
great coaching
Pseudinho

It will be a loan deal to the end of the European season if he plays well over there or to the beginning of the MLS season if he doesn't play well. It will happen in January. The style they play in La Liga best fit his game. A team like Deportivo La Coruna, Espanyol, Real Zaragoza......if not Spain then possibly somewhere in Italy.....but not Germany and not England.
Johnny

What about F.C.Porto?
Thomas

Laurie, I don't think he was ever really considered to replace Rothen, considering that Sessegnon pretty much has it covered and more so. However, there would be space for him on the right wing or at striker occasionally, and if it was a loan, it wouldn't be costing the club much to have him be a rotation player. I still really can't figure out what I think of him coming to PSG.
Laurie

I seriously doubt he's going anywhere in this transfer window. January is much more likely for a lot of reasons -- #1 being that there's no way MLS would let him go with LA making its first credible playoff run in several years. And MLS holds all the cards. If they think a player is more valuable playing in the league than the transfer fee -- even a tranfer fee that would seem more than enough elsewhere -- they just won't let him go.

MLS will also put a fee on him so high that first team play should pretty much be guaranteed. The bigger teams who could pay that and then let him ride the bench aren't going to be interested because of his Germany experience, and the smaller teams won't pay that kind of money to have him sit.

Or that's my theory. We'll see how it really works out.

(I'd still love to see him at PSG. Too bad I'm not seeing him able to replace Rothen on the left.)
Michel-Olivier

wes brom