Landon Donovan says he would be "open" to extending his Everton loan. Collectively, the American soccer public gasps in shock.


Not really. Donovan's sentiments, reported today on Soccernet, are exactly what one would expect to hear from a in-form player contributing to a club immediately and being almost universally praised for his performances.


For Donovan, because his previous forays into Europe never amounted to anything, these past two weeks with Everton have to be just that much sweeter. Doubted from the very outset of the loan rumors (though he claims to be unaffected), Donovan stepped in immediately for the Toffees, showed he can play at the highest level, and now finds himself wanted. The psychology here isn't too tough to identify.


But Donovan knows that an extension of the loan past the initial ten weeks is not entirely in his hands. Though he could push MLS and the Galaxy to agree to a longer stay in Merseyside, there's really nothing he can do; from his play to this point, it seems reasonable that Everton would want to keep him around until the end of the Premier League, but there's no guarantee that they'll be willing or able to meet the Galaxy's demand.


Making it all the more difficult for Donovan is the loan his Galaxy teammate David Beckham has at AC Milan. Could we reasonably expect LA to sign off on a loan extension for Donovan when they'll already be without their other star player? The ramifications of a Beckham and Donovan-less Galaxy might not just be on the field, but could be in the stands as well. From a business perspective, AEG would be cutting themselves off at the knees through June if they agreed to let Donovan stay in England.


I like watching Donovan play with Everton. I like that he's proving some of his detractors wrong, and I like that those who think him talented but had concerns about his playing in the EPL can put those to rest. I would personally love to see him stay in England through the end of the season, helping David Moyes push his club back up the standings.


But I wonder what it would take for that to happen. My gut says "a lot", and while "Landon Donovan the successful American in Europe" (which is not yet applicable, but could be down the road) has a nice ring to it, MLS might not feel the same way. There are only so many name commodities in American soccer, and whether he's the best domestically-produced player or not, Landon Donovan is a name.


If and when Donovan has proved himself enough in England and at the World Cup and someone comes to MLS with an eight figure offer, it will clearly be in the League's best interest to sell high and reap the financial benefits; with the loan to Everton there's no such large impact to the bottom line to be had, which makes such a move unlikely.


For now, as long as Donovan is playing well in blue, the talk of a possible loan extension will continue, as it should. Donovan will be answering these questions from now until March, as long as he's playing and playing well. The Everton fans will want him to stay, the club might want him to stay, and I'm certain Donovan will want to stay.


Unfortunately, I just have trouble believing MLS will go for it.