Here's an article I read: http://g.sports.yahoo.com/soccer/wo...-him-riches--fbintl_ro-landonmoney062410.html “Donovan can copy a little bit from David Beckham,” said Ridley, who launched Manchester United’s in-house television channel and has clients in Britain and the U.S. “He needs to carefully select the brands he wants to be associated with and make sure they fit his image – Brand Landon if you like.” So, get used to seeing Donovan on your television screens for quite some time. The soccer buzz that accompanies a World Cup will obviously dissipate after the tournament ends and the American sports scene returns to its typical state. Yet Donovan’s dramatic strike with just seconds remaining at Loftus Versfeld Stadium sent his star soaring and will greatly increase his marketability. He has gone from being just a soccer player, albeit America’s most famous one, to a clutch performer on the biggest stage of all. And $10 million could be just the tip of the iceberg, compared to the money Donovan could earn playing club soccer in Europe. It now appears increasingly likely that he will leave the Los Angeles Galaxy this summer, with a string of European clubs interested in his services. Money-wise, pretty much everyone wins. The Galaxy and Major League Soccer will be able to command a transfer fee of around $12 million, while USA Soccer will receive a boost that can’t be quantified, from the team’s continued involvement in the tournament. Donovan himself, of course, may now be looking at a contract worth up to $4 million per year, which would set a new record for an American player. This is great to see our hometown player doing so well in the World Cup, but do you guys think this will be the last time we'll see Donovan in a Galaxy jersey? Do you think this is good for the league and for Donovan? I personally don't see what he has to prove in Europe. When you're already showing that you can do well at the world's biggest stage, what more do you have to prove? It seems MLS and the Galaxy are working just fine for him, as he's been playing in MLS leading up to the World Cup. I think him staying in the States will boost his career and help with promoting the league, as everyone knows Donovan's name now after that game winning goal and will want to see him play live. Just my opinion. What do you guys think?
he's played very well, but more importantly he's come up huge at crucial moments and led the team which has magnified his play. however landon is still worth a lot more to mls than he is to another european team. out here it's his marketability as much as his play. for a mid-table premiere league team (fulham, everton, etc…) landon represents a starter, but not always an automatic starter. to a top-four side he represents a great player off the bench, but unlikely a starter. i'm not convinced a mid-table side could afford $10 million dollars or that a top-four side would pay that price for a bench player (and i'm not sure landon would want to be a bench player). ironically the better he plays at the cup the higher his price goes and the less appealing he becomes (from a financial standpoint) his "hi bianca" remark was also rather interesting.
Yes, but after the season ends. If he can a) score two more goals in this WC and b) get us into the quarters, I'd say he's gone.
I think Donovan will do what's best for Donovan. He deserves whatever additional success that comes his way. I personally feel having a star athelete like Donovan in the sport(playing here or abroad) does wonders for the sport here in the U.S. Every country(&sport) tends to have those stars, they help the image of the sport IMO. Donovan is that for U.S. Soccer. Our C.Ronaldo Our Messi Our Kaka Our Eto'o, Drogba, Ribery etc... Not a comparison in skills but in their individual popularity within their country.
Its this simple: 1) We keep him and we give him more money! 2) Loan him out to whatever team that would want him during the off-season. I say this keeps him happy as he will be in L.A., the place that he loves to play and live. He gets to play top for a top European team, makes headlines on how good he is and then comeback. Its that easy!
To be honest, now that I've thought about it a little, I dunno so much. This WC isn't Donovan's swan song, he's probably got plenty for 2014. However, this may be his last as the USA's main attacking #10. The gulf between him and other players is shrinking, and this will be his chance to LEAD the team to victory. And, you know, he's done pretty well so far! So what's next? Well, I guess he could go for European glory, but with who? There are only 4 teams that ever win anything in any of the big leagues, and he'd have a hell of a time jumping into one of them.
But if he does well in the World Cup, why does he feel like he has to prove himself in Europe? He has expressed his love of Southern California and for the LA fans. I even remember him stating that Everton would be the only team he would play for in EPL. Why go to Everton when he's done well so far in this World Cup, a chance to live and play in the state and country of which you love, and helping your league grow?
Thing is, he will never get the recognition that he wants playing for the Galaxy. at least not for the foreseeable future. He is a professional and he deserves to play at the highest level possible. He has shown that he can do it in the Premier League and as long as someone forks over the dough, he is as good as gone and that's ok for me. I remember after the last WC watching Dempsey with New England and thinking he was a man against boys. Donovan has one last chance to have the playing career of his dreams. If it is here in LA, then I respect that, but he is competitive and in a great place mentally. If the offer comes, it is simply time for him to go. If he stays, however: NO LOANS!!! Sorry, too much playing will simply wear him out. I don't want him to burn out for the Galaxy or prior to 2014!
Well, Juergen Klinsmann kind of disagrees with you. http://www.ocregister.com/sports/donovan-254818-soccer-world.html I agree with Juergen. LD has the ability to play anywhere. But if he wants to be here, that's ok with me.
It's gonna suck for the league if he leaves. Who will be the MLS poster child? Who will step up and be our attention getter? I really don't see anybody at the moment that can be that person. Time will tell.....
Obviously Gordon. I want Donovan to stay, but that is selfish of me. If he wants to go, then he can go, but we better get at least $12m in MLS's coffers as a result. He deserves to have his pick of teams to go to, but we'll see if that happens. I can't help but think that in four years (or less) we're going to be having this conversation about Omar.
who knows? maybe even Stephens and Bowen will get looks from leagues abroad if they continue their progression. Our youth academy better be grooming some stars right about now.
Indeed. I singled out Omar, because even though Stephens and Bowen could realistically end up being very good USMNT players in a good team in a good European league, Omar has all the makings of a potential World Class player. He may never get there, but it doesn't seem too much of a stretch for me to think that he may end up playing for Man United or Barca or something. Back on topic, I guess. Stay Donovan! Remember the beaches! And In N Out!
I see him going to Real Madrid Don't know why but i had nothing but positive vibes. Hey Canavarro Did it why cant Donovan.
I wouldn't want to see that personally. He'd be queing up behind Ronaldo, Higuain, Kaka, Benzema, Van Der Vaart etc. Plus he doesn't strike me as a Perez signing.
This is well said. Landon Donovan is a very good player, but he's not that good that a team would pay the $10M or more valuation for him, particularly at his age. And while the above-referenced points about his financial value are very true, one also has to keep in mind that Donovan has never shown the desire or frankly, the internal fortitude to play in Europe - simple as that. Remember that he forced those unprecedented 2-year loans (maybe longer) to San Jose Earthquakes when he was property of Bayer Leverkusen; then he bombed out with them when he finally went back to Germany; then he forced MLS & LA Galaxy to trade Carlos Ruiz away so that he could play in Los Angeles. Clearly, playing in Europe has never been a top priority for Donovan; quality of life has been his priority (good for him). Thus, if you're Fulham or Everton or Deportivo La Coruna or PSG, why would you want to pay millions and millions of dollars for that? I think he went on that short term loan to Everton just to see if he could compete at the top lovel after seeing David Beckham's sucess at AC Milan, but he ultimately has no real desire to play abroad. Donovan likes being in LA and MLS, so more power to him. And yes, playing in MLS has meant that other American players like Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey & Michael Bradley have surpassed him in terms of quality, but so be it. Regardless, Landon Donovan isn't going anywhere. P.S. There's no way that Donovan could even make the substitute's bench on a team like Real Madrid - no offense, but anyone who thinks that is really losing touch with reality.
garber on espn right now name dropping landon's name and the galaxy like crazy. he's not going anywhere.
It'd be stupid for MLS to sell him, even at $12 million. That game winning goal has made Donovan a household name and could potentially bring a whole new era for the LA Galaxy once he gets back. Depending on how much farther the US goes will also determine that too. It'd be a smart move for MLS to keep Donovan as the face, but only if he really wants to stay.
This team makes the semi-finals and Donvoan is as good as gone. No matter how much you guys or the MLS want him to stay... if Europe's top flight wants him they'll get him. Sorry Galaxy fans.
No need to apologize. If those teams want to pay that much for Donovan to compete with their other star players, that's fine. I know MLS won't let him go cheap.
i fear that you've lost touch with reality yourself. there's so much wrong with the above statement, i'll just leave it at that. disagree, it would be good for MLS to get a good value for him and to keep bringing along the younger players, the "next Landon Donovan" will get his shot and can be sold. bring the cash into the league, and when quality players move over there, the reputation of the league increases internationally, meaning that more high quality players will want to give MLS a shot. what fans in the USA want more than anything is for the USA to be competitive internationally. i don't think that they necessarily want MLS to be successful and i don't think that LD will draw them to games. because he can. because he likes the challenge of playing well among the best in the world. because he's a different person and player than his prior stints. and because this world cup is further showcasing that. it was easy to see that he loved his experience at Everton, why wouldn't he want to return? he's, quite frankly, done more than enough for MLS. he should go if someone can meet MLS' price, and i reckon that there will be competing bidders for his services.
Don Garber was ESPN all of morning promoting Donovan and the Galaxy. There are signs are pointing to him getting back together with his ex-wife who is an actress in LA/Hollywood. He said he loves Southern California and that the only team he'd play for in EPL is Everton. I doubt Everton will pay the asking price for him. All signs point to him staying (at least for awhile) in MLS.
Yeah, but that's Don's job, to big up MLS, and as of right now, LD is a MLS player. Don should do that right up until the time LD leaves and I'm sure he will, Don's a smart guy. My reading of the tea leaves isn't that LD is getting back together with Bianca, just because he said hello. He said that she has helped him get through a trying time. That doesn't mean that they're getting back together. Moreover, if LD gets a contract overseas, it's going to mean big money, Bianca's career isn't going places these days, so she'd probably be going there to join him. If his World Cup is at least as impressive as the group stages, he's going to have some big offers.