Everton in talks to sign US forward Landon Donovan on loan from Galaxy before WCup

Everton in talks to sign Donovan on loan from LA

LIVERPOOL, England — U.S. forward Landon Donovan is in talks about a loan move to Everton that would give him experience in the English Premier League in the run up to the World Cup.

The loan would put the Los Angeles Galaxy star on the same team as U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard and allow him to play against many of the England players he will face in South Africa next June.

“Landon is a player (that manager) David Moyes has identified as someone he would like to bring to the club,” Everton chief executive Robert Elstone said Thursday. “We are working to make that happen and hope we can reach agreement soon with all the appropriate parties.”

Everton lost last season’s FA Cup final to Chelsea. It is 15th in the 20-team Premier League standings, just three points above the relegation zone.

If a deal is reached, Donovan would likely join the Liverpool-based club in January for three months before returning to the U.S. for the start of the Major League Soccer season in March.

“They are one of a number of clubs who have contacted the Galaxy about the possibility of a short-term loan agreement for Landon,” the Galaxy said in a statement to The Associated Press. “The Galaxy, MLS and Landon’s representative will work together to determine if and whether an arrangement with Everton or any other club would be beneficial to all parties.”

England midfielder David Beckham, Donovan’s Galaxy teammate, will also be on loan in January for a second stint at AC Milan, but he will not return to LA until after the World Cup.

While Donovan has an American record 42 goals in 120 internationals, he has struggled during three previous stints in Europe.

He signed a six-year deal with Bayern Leverkusen as a 16-year-old in 1999, but didn’t play a game in two years and was loaned to the San Jose Earthquakes of MLS in 2001.

After four seasons in the MLS, he rejoined Leverkusen in January 2005. He made nine appearances — seven in the Bundesliga and two in the Champions League — but just two of them were starts. Two months later, he returned to the MLS with the Galaxy.

He made five Bundesliga appearances and one German Cup appearance for Bayern Munich during a loan earlier this year.

Donovan was selected as the best player on the U.S. team for a record-breaking sixth time in October after being instrumental in helping the Americans reach the Confederations Cup final and World Cup.