USMNT Players Look to Winter Window

Reports today are saying that Landon Donovan is close to joining Everton on a three month loan, similar to the one he had with Bayern Munich last winter. With time at a premium before next summer's World Cup, USMNT players like Donovan will be looking to make the most out of their club level preparations over the next couple months, as they jockey for a spot on Bob Bradley's World Cup roster. For several players, the winter transfer window will have a huge impact on just how productive those efforts are.

A three month loan for Donovan means that, at worst, he will be getting plenty of high level training in before the MLS season kicks off. After rejoining the Galaxy, Donovan will get a good month and a half of games in before leaving for World Cup duty, so he will get his fair share of minutes in regardless of how much time he gets with Everton. Donovan's situation is unique, though, in that he has the safety net of MLS waiting for him after the loan move. It's also essentially a certainty that the LA Galaxy captain will be in South Africa come June. Others, meanwhile, will have to join new teams on a permanent basis this winter, as they look to position themselves so as to maximize their chances of making the World Cup roster.

Some players will be moving on a free transfer, namely Ricardo Clark and Stuart Holden, whose contracts with MLS expire this winter. Holden has seen his stock rise exponentially over the past several months, and he'll want to avoid a step back in the short term by joining a club where he will get little playing time. Aberdeen has been linked to Holden, which would likely provide him with an opportunity to earn plenty of minutes, by the rough style of the SPL might not be the best fit for the creative midfielder. With the dual priorities of a good paycheck and an opportunity for playing time in the short term, Holden will have a tough decision in the coming weeks as he examines all offers. While his run of form over the past couple months may be enough of an audition for Bob Bradley, it certainly would be a big blow to his World Cup dreams if Holden were to ride the pine for the next five months.

Clark, meanwhile, has long been rumored to be a target of Serie A side Livorno. Such a move would definitely give the Houston Dynamo standout an opportunity to ply his trade at a high level, assuming he can earn minutes for the Tuscan side. This would also help Clark's case for the starting defensive midfielder role, as his club competition would rival that of Maurice Edu and Jermaine Jones, who will also be looking to claim that spot over the coming months. Once again, though, Clark must make sure he chooses the destination that will most benefit him on all fronts. Though he could very well get a lot of playing time at Livorno, he also runs the risk of being on a team in Serie B next season, as they currently sit in the final relegation spot.

While Clark and Holden are already on the fast track to a spot in Bob Bradley's 23 thanks to their international appearances this year, some players are looking to revive their World Cup dreams through the winter transfer window. Two such players are DaMarcus Beasley and Eddie Johnson. Beasley said this week that he wants to leave Rangers in the winter, naming Spain and the Netherlands as possible destinations. If the speedy winger wants any chance of being on his third World Cup squad, he will need to move to a club where he will get plenty of minutes to show Bob Bradley that he still has something valuable to add to the USMNT.

Johnson, meanwhile, is one of five Fulham players that are reportedly on the transfer block. EJ's time in England hasn't exactly gone according to plan, with the former Dallas striker being relegated to mostly reserve duty this season. It's fair to assume that Johnson's high price tag has been a deal-breaker for mid-level European clubs looking to add players on loan or through transfer, but reports indicate that Fulham are willing to take a big hit to unload the Florida native. Injuries to other strikers have kept Johnson's World Cup dreams on life support, but without a move to a club where he'll get consistent playing time, those hopes will soon perish.

The speculation and rumors that surround the transfer window are always a fun and intriguing time to be a USMNT fan. The World Cup being just six months away and several roster spots remaining up for grabs only adds to this exciting period.