The LA Galaxy announced today that the club has signed captain Landon Donovan to a new four-year contract that will run through the 2013 MLS season. The 2009 MLS MVP, Donovan led the Galaxy with 12 goals and six assists this season en route to winning the award for the first time in his career and helping the Galaxy reach MLS Cup for the first time since 2005. Per team and league policy, details of the contract were not disclosed.
Additionally, the club has announced that Donovan will be allowed to pursue opportunities to join a foreign club on a short-term loan agreement that would see him return to Los Angeles prior to the start of the 2010 MLS season, which begins for the Galaxy on Saturday, March 27.
"I am excited to be able to pledge my future to the Galaxy by signing this new contract," Donovan said. "I have enjoyed my time with the Galaxy and am committed to helping bring the club another MLS Cup championship. I believe in this team and I want to be a part of its bright future. This is a great day for me both personally and professionally and I look forward to many successful years ahead."
The second leading scorer in Galaxy history, Donovan joined the club just prior to the start of the 2005 season and immediately led the team to an MLS Cup/U.S. Open Cup Double. He has scored 64 goals in 121 regular season games with LA, leaving him just six goals shy of Cobi Jones' club record of 70. A three-time winner of the Galaxy's Most Valuable Player award, he has led the team in goals in each of his five seasons with the club, while finishing as the team's leader in assists in four of the five years.
Thanks to his success with the Galaxy over the past five years the 27-year-old Southern California native is now sixth in MLS history with 96 career goals, leaving him just four shy of becoming the sixth player in league history with 100 career regular season goals. A nine-time MLS All-Star, Donovan is also the all-time leading scorer in the MLS Cup Playoffs, scoring 17 goals in 22 playoff games, including seven goals in eight playoff appearances with the Galaxy. He was a finalist for the league's MVP award for the first time in 2008 when he scored a career-high 20 goals, before winning the league's top individual prize for the first time last month.
"Landon's signing is great news for our fans and our club and is further proof that the Galaxy/AEG are committed to building a team that can compete for the MLS Cup year in and year out," Galaxy General Manager and Head Coach Bruce Arena said. "He is our captain, our leader and the league's MVP and we believe that Landon signing this new contract is a key aspect to bringing the Galaxy further success both on and off the field."
Widely considered to be the most talented player in the history of U.S. soccer, Donovan has also experienced a great deal of success with the U.S. National Team, with who he is the all-time leading scorer with 42 goals in 120 career games. A nine-year veteran of the National Team, Donovan helped the U.S. qualify for the 2002, 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cups, starting all nine of the National Team's games in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups while scoring three goals and adding nine assists as the U.S. finished atop the CONCACAF standings in qualifying for the 2010 World Cup. Donovan scored or assisted on 12 of the 19 goals that the U.S. scored in the final round of qualifying and is now the all-time leader in qualifying appearances and goals for the U.S.
Donovan and the Galaxy will kick off the 2010 MLS season on Saturday, March 27 when they host the New England Revolution at The Home Depot Center. This game kicks off at 8 p.m. and fans can purchase tickets now through a special LA Galaxy Holiday Pack. With the Holiday Pack, fans receive four tickets to the game against New England, four Galaxy beanies and a holiday card all for as little as $76. For more information or to purchase a Holiday Pack or Galaxy season tickets for the 2010 MLS season, please visit www.lagalaxy.com
