Landon Donovan is returning to retirement.
LA Galaxy president Chris Klein told the LA Times’ Kevin Baxter on Tuesday that Donovan, who played nine games with the Galaxy after coming out of retirement in September, is hanging them up – again.
“With Landon, when he came back, it was always going to be a short-term thing,” Klein said. “He’s enjoying what he’s doing and we see we’re comfortable in the direction that we’re headed.”
The all-time MLS leader in goals and assists, Donovan, 34, shocked observers when he came out of retirement to re-sign with LA on Sept. 8.
The US soccer legend, who initially retired following the 2014 season, played six regular-season games with the Galaxy down the stretch, making two starts and recording one goal. He started all three of LA’s playoff matches, recording an assist before the Galaxy were bounced by the Colorado Rapids in the Western Conference Semifinals.
Galaxy officials told Baxter that Donovan intends to return to broadcasting and coaching and to spend more time with his wife and 11-month-old son.
In addition to confirming Donovan’s re-retirement, Baxter reported that the Galaxy could name Bruce Arena’s replacement as head coach as early as next week. He wrote that LA Galaxy II head coach Curt Onalfo is the top internal candidate; Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl reported on Tuesday that Onalfo, who previously served as head coach of the Kansas City Wizards and D.C. United, is the favorite for the job.
Baxter also reported that defender A.J. DeLaGarza will return to LA in 2017 and forward Jack McBean will come back from his loan to English club Coventry City to be a part of the first team next year.
