Source: Liverpool_Echo
GREG O'KEEFFE: Trust Everton boss David Moyes to get it right on loan deals
IF ALISTAIR Darling had any sense he would grab five minutes with David Moyes before announcing the budget.[LNB]Because, like his countryman and former chancellor Gordon Brown, Moyes knows all about somehow producing the goods on a shoe-string with more complicating factors than the Iraq War inquiry.[LNB]Moyes (as I think I may have been mentioned before) has consistently worked miracles in the lower end of the transfer market; taking risks when nobody else would (Tim Cahill), plucking England centre halves from the Championship (Phil Jagielka) and spotting diamonds in the rough (Steven Pienaar).[LNB]Oh, and that's not to mention his best loan signing ever, step forward the Best Little Spaniard we Know - Senor Mikel Arteta.[LNB]With such pedigree he could give seminars on the topic of cutting your cloth accordingly at FA coaching courses - complete with a comedy 'Ooops how did that get in there?' slide of Segundo Castillo at the end.[LNB]It's a track record which hands the Everton manager instant benefit of the doubt when he looks at a loan buy, and means we can look forward to the potential capture of Landon Donovan.[LNB]As ever, Moyes is likely to have very little cash to spend in January. The staggering Lescott fee (which looks more of a bargain as the weeks pass) has been well and truly spent.[LNB]Unless Bill finds a spare million behind the couch, or Blood Brothers is suddenly bought and made into a new motion picture by Disney Pixar, it's likely that the Everton manager will have money to spend on wages only. Once again he will become the loan ranger.[LNB]That's why a player like Landon Donovan ticks all the boxes. He's young (ish), a proven international, plays in a position Everton need to strengthen and even has experience in Europe.[LNB]He will also have a compatriot and national team-mate in Tim Howard to help him settle quickly.[LNB]Settling quickly would be vital too, with the deal essentially mirroring David Beckham's arrangement with AC Milan where a big-name MLS player comes over to Europe to keep fit during their domestic close season.[LNB]It won't be feet-up time for Donovan or a bit of a novelty footballing culture crawl either.[LNB]Although he is the biggest name in US soccer, Beckham aside, he will want to build up a personal head of steam before the World Cup finals in South Africa.[LNB]He may even consider playing in the Premier League as an extended scouting mission for US coach Bob Bradley, with the Americans being drawn in the same qualifying group as England.[LNB]With Yakubu likely to be going to the African Nations Cup with Joey Yobo in January, the arrival of Donovan as a utility forward, and another defender would make perfect sense.[LNB]Meanwhile, followers of Premier League clubs outside the top four will have been excited by an admission from Arsenal's Jack Wilshire that he would consider a loan-move to boost his career.
