Donovan Asks MLS To Set Him Free

Sunday afternoon may have been the last chance for fans of the Los Angeles Galaxy to catch a glimpse of Landon Donovan on the field, as reports are surfacing that the 20-goal scorer is ready to ask Major League Soccer officials to let him go to Europe, should a reasonable offer come in over the winter.

Donovan could be ready to walk away from MLS once more. [ISI Photos]

“I’d love to play in the Premiership, I think that would be incredible,” said Donovan after Sunday’s 2-2 draw against FC Dallas. “I’d love to play in Spain. I watch games every weekend and it’s exciting watching those games and I think I could contribute on a lot of teams."

Donovan, now 26, was famously unsuccessful in his only other go-round with European football – a miserable stay with German club Bayer Leverkusen. But the United States’ all-time leading scorer insists that he has grown and matured since returning to America in 2005, and is yearning for another chance to prove himself on a bigger stage.

“I’m ready and I wasn’t ready before in any way or capacity,” admitted Donovan. “I’m ready and I want to make the most of that. I’ve only got one career and I want to make sure that I give myself a chance.

“In my situation, I can’t be super picky, but if it’s the right offer and makes sense with the right team… there are a lot of ifs. I think the league is aware of my situation and I’ve had brief talks with Bruce [Arena] about it and let him know, but it’s still early."

Earlier this week, David Beckham revealed that he was trying to secure a short-term loan to Italian giants AC Milan in the MLS offseason so that he can maintain his fitness and remain in the picture for the England squad. The well-traveled superstar offered his support to Donovan while also hoping for his teammate to return to the Galaxy next year.

“I’d like to see him remain here but he’s 26 years old; I’ve heard the rumors about him going to Europe and if he does, good luck to him,” offered Beckham. “He’s a good player, everybody knows that, and he’s succeeded here in the U.S., so if he does get the chance to go to Europe and enjoy some success over there, it’s down to him.

“Obviously, I hope he stays here because he’s valuable to the team.”

Donovan has scored 84 regular season goals in his MLS career, adding 69 assists. He has won three MLS Cup trophies, including 2001 and ’03 with the San Jose Earthquakes, and the ’05 MLS Cup and US Open Cup trophies with the Galaxy. He is an eight-time All Star in his eight seasons played, and has also been capped over 100 times with the United States Men’s National Team.