Mods, I'm not sure if this should be in the 200 page long official thread, but I didn't see any thread on this: http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/2002/oct10.htm It's from ESPN and has quotes from Topmoller.
Isn't this pretty much non-news, with the update/twist that Leverkusen sucks so far this season? We all knew LD was going to go over there in late Oct/early Nov and that he really didn't want to play for BL unless he was pretty much guaranteed a first team spot.
What new signings did BL get over the summer? I remember they signed Jan Simak from Hannover 96. Did they strengthen their forward line? Lost any players? I want to say that one or two of their forwards moved to Bayern Munich. Donovan might get some immediate success with the woes the team is having right now. But it seems that teams like BL are constantly looking at new acquisitions. Also you must take into account the difference in styles of play between Donovan and German soccer.
And what, too, of the fatigue factor that it seems we've all brought up toward the end of the season. And if he really is as exhausted at the the CQ BBQ as it sounds by what I read on these boards, then he won't be worth fish if BL recalls him immediately.