Everton have prioritised attacking options during the current January transfer window with their intention understood to bring in a couple of new faces but beleaguered Blues could be forgiven for yearning for the days when their club was able to snap up a player like Landon Donovan in the New Year sales. Donovan is widely seen as being the best American player in history yet in 2010 Everton were able to pick him up on loan with the US international making his debut in a dramatic 2-2 draw with Arsenal at a snowy Emirates Stadium on January 9.
Donovan had been with his parent club Los Angeles Galaxy for five years when he embarked on the first of his loan spells at Everton in 2010 with the intention of keeping sharp ahead of the kick-off of the Major League Soccer season in spring. Although he knew his time with the Blues was only ever going to be a temporary stay, he felt a rare bond from the start.
Back in 2021, Donovan told the ECHO: “It’s rare for a footballer to show up and be so welcomed and respected. I hadn’t experienced that in my life. I’d been at the Galaxy for a long time so there was a lot of mutual respect there with the fans.
