One of the LA Galaxy's most promising youngsters is reportedly set for a stint overseas.
According to reports from CorneroftheGalaxy.com and the Coventry Telegraph, LA Homegrown Player Jack McBean is headed to England to join third-division club Coventry City on loan. The deal is said to be for six months, but could be extended to a full year.
McBean, 21, has made just two appearances for LA's first team this season but has excelled in USL play with Galaxy II, scoring a league-leading 15 goals in 17 games. The 6-foot striker, who is in his sixth season as a professional, became the youngest signing in Galaxy history when he inked a Homegrown contract in 2011.
Holder of a British passport that has helped facilitate the move, McBean is already training with Coventry City, and the Coventry Telegraph reports that an announcement is forthcoming. The League One club is already home to former Seattle Sounder Andy Rose, and the Sky Blues' managing director is Chris Anderson, a former Cornell professor and respected soccer analytics expert.
The move, should it come to fruition, could serve as a win-win for both McBean and the Galaxy. The young striker would gain experience and exposure in a different league and country, learning a different style of play and way to do things, and he could even become a regular contributor should he find his rhythm at Coventry City.
While playing time is far from guaranteed there, McBean can always return to Los Angeles before the start of the 2017 MLS season should things not work out. Sure, he might miss out on a couple more months of guaranteed playing time with Galaxy II, but the long-term benefits likely outweigh the short-term costs. A US youth international, McBean is also eligible to represent Scotland, his father's homeland, and could find himself back on that national team's radar should he shine in League One.
Whether he plays with the first team or not, McBean should return from England a more seasoned and better player.
