Report: Everton Interested in Donovan

The Guardian is reporting that David Moyes and Everton are interested in bringing over LA Galaxy captain and USMNT star Landon Donovan for a loan deal. If it were to happen, Donovan would join an Everton side that has really struggled with injuries this season. Though the two sides have not yet reached an agreement, it's rumored that the deal would see Donovan join Everton in the winter window and play with the Toffees for the remainder of the EPL season (a la David Beckham's loan to AC Milan last winter). He would then return to the LA Galaxy following the 2010 World Cup, assuming another club doesn't make an offer that MLS can't refuse during the summer transfer window. Regardless of whether the deal lasts until March (like his Bayern Munich loan) or May, it would give Donovan an opportunity to play in games through the winter leading up to the World Cup.

Because of the Toffees' depleted roster, Donovan would have less of a fight in his climb up the depth chart and could very well earn plenty of minutes in the EPL. This is in stark contrast to his brief loan at Bayern Munich, where Donovan had little opportunity to break into a deep, talented lineup. A tight budget also means that it's unlikely that Everton will buy any players in the transfer window, hence the reason that they are looking at short term loans instead.

This bit of news is the latest in the Donovan transfer/loan rumor mill, with Club America and Paris St. Germain being two other sides that have been linked with the California native. The move would give Donovan the chance to get more matches under his belt leading up to South Africa, and it might also give him an up close look at several England national team players before the two sides square off in the Group C opener.

The Toffees are currently sitting in 15th place, just 3 points clear of the relegation zone. Though the team's main struggles have been in defense this season, David Moyes believes that Donovan could add some bite and creativity to the Everton attack. If the deal gets done, Donovan would join USMNT teammate Tim Howard at Goodison Park.

Though there are some risks related to the move, most notably a lack of playing time, USSD feels that this would be a decent fit. Donovan would have a good shot to earn some minutes, and he will be playing under a manager that has already had success with loaning American attackers (Moyes brought Brian McBride over several years ago). Though La Liga or Serie A might be better suited to Donovan's playing style, the EPL wouldn't exactly be a bad destination. For a struggling team like Everton, Donovan would likely get a number of opportunities to get out on the counterattack, a style he is used to playing from his time with the USMNT.

With the winter transfer window fast approaching, expect more Donovan transfer and loan rumors to start surfacing, as the USMNT superstar's recent run of form has caught the eye of a number of teams across the pond.