Sports

Landon Donovan loan done deal

By BRIAN LEWIS

Landon Donovan is finally trying his hand at Europe again. That training stint (wink, wink) with Bayern Munich has now officially ended the way we all knew it would, with Donovan going to the Bundesliga giants on loan.

According to the German team’s website, he’ll move on a short loan deal from early January through mid-March. He should be back in time for the start of the L.A. Galaxy’s MLS season. But if the third time proves the charm _ he had failed stints at Bayer Leverkusen in 2001 and 2004 _ Bayern Munich could decide to fork over the cash and buy him outright from the league.

How much would that take? My guess is if MLS sold Red Bulls star Jozy Altidore for $10 million, they could ask for $15 million for Donovan, Bayern Munich could offer half that, and they meet in the middle.

The 26-year-old Donovan has been training with Bayern for the past 1 1/2 weeks, and must have impressed GM Uli Hoeness. Bayern coach Juergen Klinsmann was already a fan and friend of Donovan’s after being a technical advisor at the Galaxy before taking the Bayern Munich gig in July.

Donovan is one of three high-profile MLS star to go out on loan during the winter window, including David Beckham (AC Milan) and Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Santos Laguna). What do you think of Donovan’s move? Of the trend as a wole? Check in with us….