Thursday Thoughts: Donovan's New Deal

For those who missed it, Landon Donovan inked a new 4-year contract with MLS yesterday, while it was also announced that his loan to Everton was agreed upon "in principle" (with the deal expected to be finalized in the next couple of days). It is being reported that Donovan's new contract is worth $9 million, which would make him the second highest paid player in the league behind only, of course, David Beckham. This announcement comes just after the news that MLS is making a strong offer to keep Stuart Holden in the league. It is certainly nice to see Don Garber and company try to keep great American talent in the league, and it's even better to see Donovan get a contract that truly reflects his value to his team and the league.

With many expecting Donovan to make the jump overseas following the World Cup (prior to yesterday's announcement), this new contract may seem like a hurdle to such ambitions. If anything, however, it ensures Donovan that he will be getting a nice pay day regardless of his performance with Everton or at the World Cup. If Donovan does shine in those opportunities, it's likely that fair market offers would come in for the Galaxy captain, which MLS surely wouldn't ignore. Despite his fantastic Confederations Cup, World Cup qualifying, and MLS play, Donovan still is not viewed as highly in Europe, at least in terms of market value. MLS rightfully has a high price tag for the USMNT star, and a major reason he has not been transferred to this point is because of the discrepancy between MLS' valuation and the offers that have been received. If he can finally have a successful run in Europe and cap off his outstanding run of form (which still has yet to stop) with a stand out World Cup performance, it might finally bring in some big number (for an American) offers from teams in the top leagues of Europe looking to acquire Donovan's services.

And let me ask you this: could this move just make Landon play even better? With his professional career on much more secure footing with this contract, Donovan does not have to worry about "auditioning" for European suitors in his time in England and South Africa. He has a healthy contract waiting for him regardless of his performance, so he can simply focus on playing the game and making an impact on the field. Some might argue that the new contract represents a safety net that might lead to lesser performance and effort. But Donovan has a chip on his shoulder and wants to prove to the world that he is a superstar, and anything less than playing hard is just not how he operates. By removing the potential worries about earning a new contract from his mind, Landon now just has to think about what goes on between the lines, which should only help his performance in the coming months.

Though many fans want to see Donovan make the leap to Europe so he can test himself against the world's best, this new contract should not be viewed as a step back or a complacent move. Donovan has transformed himself from talented teen to world-class player in his time in MLS, and his level of play has only improved from year to year. Donovan had his best year as a professional in 2009, and that certainly was partly because of, not despite, MLS. He will be the best player the USMNT can field, regardless of where he is playing his club soccer. Donovan makes the most out of his club level games, so fear not if the California native is still plying his trade in the States come next fall.

From the perspective of someone who wants to see professional soccer continue to grow in this country, this deal is a positive, as well. The USMNT's best player will continue to give credibility to MLS, and his new deal may help coax young American talent into signing with the league, as they know that a big MLS pay day is not impossible. With young, talented players like Luis Gil considering signing with MLS, this headline deal (coupled with the Holden offer) surely plants the seed in their head that, despite the small salary cap, the league takes care of its best players and makes them quality financial offers.

Donovan's new MLS deal is, in USSD's opinion, a good move for all parties involved. And while it will likely be discussed and analyzed ad nauseam in the coming weeks, American fans can at least look forward to his EPL debut in January, which hopefully come early next month.