Landon Donovan to spend ten weeks at Bayern

The die-hards who watched Tuesday’s first-team training session at the Säbener Strasse witnessed a new face out on the practice ground, as USA international Landon Donovan completed a first workout with Jürgen Klinsmann’s squad. The 26-year-old is to spend ten weeks of the Major League Soccer close season staying in shape with FCB.

“I know Landon from my time with L.A. Galaxy,” Klinsmann explained. “He’s a great lad, a very good footballer, and a major personality in US football. Landon will spend the next ten days training with us to maintain his fitness levels.”

Donovan is looking forward to the brief spell with Germany’s most successful club. “I’m delighted Jürgen Klinsmann and FC Bayern have given me the chance to experience the new performance centre and keep myself fit in the company of accomplished international players,” said the man capped 105 times by his country. The new MLS season starts in March 2009.

Donovan is not unknown to the German football scene. He was on the books at Bayer Leverkusen from 2001 to 2005, initially with the reserves and later with the senior team, for whom he made seven Bundesliga appearances.

The versatile forward, named best player at the 1999 U-17 World Cup, spent three of his seasons at Bayer on loan to San Jose Earthquakes, scoring 32 goals in 87 MLS appearances. In 2005 he joined Los Angeles Galaxy, who also number David Beckham among their playing staff. Donovan scored 20 times and provided nine assists in 24 matches last season.

The American is the second invited guest to spend time training with Jürgen Klinsmann’s squad this term. Joseph Ngwenya spent several weeks at the club in pre-season last summer, as the squad was severely decimated by the loss of players featuring at Euro 2008.