Donovan A Better Fit In Spain

Now that Sky Sports has mentioned that Landon Donovan is interested in a move to the English Premiership, many are speculating on what it all means. My spidey sense tells me that his agent, Richard Motzkin, is just testing the waters to gauge interest in Europe and to send a signal to MLS that his client's price will be going much higher when contract renewal time comes in 2009.

If I'm wrong, then England is not the place he should be going - the fit isn't right. Landon Donovan is a technical, smooth, flowing player with many similarities to Germany and Chelsea's Michael Ballack. Ballack is one of the world's best players but he has struggled in the forceful English game where he seldom has a chance to put his best tools to use -he would have been much better off at Real Madrid. Andrei Shevchenko also has many similarities to Donovan and Ballack and his English experience has not fulfilled expectations.

Its not fair at this point to look back to Donovan's frustrations at Bayer Leverkusen and compare them to how he would do now as a 26-year old veteran pro. He is a different player now and he has an opportunity to choose his new situation more carefully.

If Donovan wants to challenge himself in European soccer, he should do it where he can thrive, not just survive. That place is Spain, not England.