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.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.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).Oh, and that's not to mention his best loan signing ever, step forward the Best Little Spaniard we Know - Senor Mikel Arteta.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.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.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.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.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.He will also have a compatriot and national team-mate in Tim Howard to help him settle quickly.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.It won't be feet-up time for Donovan or a bit of a novelty footballing culture crawl either.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.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.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.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.

Source: Liverpool_Echo