Yes, you read that right.
According to multiple reports, MLS all-time leading scorer and one of the most decorated US national team players of all-time, Landon Donovan, is set to come out of retirement and play for the LA Galaxy during the MLS stretch run.
SI.com's Blake Thomsen had the initial scoop on Thursday morning:
The report was later confirmed by the LA Times' Kevin Baxter, ESPN's Jeff Carlisle and SI.com's Grant Wahl:
The MLS roster freeze deadline is September 15, after which teams cannot make changes to their squads except for cases of extreme hardship.
Donovan, 34, initially retired at the conclusion of the 2014 MLS season, when he helped the Galaxy to the team's fifth MLS Cup and became the only player in league history to win six MLS Cups. Donovan still leads MLS in regular-season goals (144) and assists (136), playoff goals (25), and is tied for most playoff assists (14).
At the national team level, Donovan has been equally prolific. His 57 goals and 58 assists for the USMNT are both records, and his 157 appearances for the Stars and Stripes are second only to Cobi Jones' 164.
The Galaxy could certainly use the Donovan's attacking skills – winger/forward Gyasi Zardes suffered a season-ending broken foot, star forward Robbie Keane has missed the Galaxy's last four games between international duty and injury and influential midfielder Steven Gerrard is also nursing an injury.
LA are currently tied for second in the Western Conference with a 10-4-14 record through 28 games. They will host Orlando City on Sunday evening (7 pm ET; FS1 in the US, MLS LIVE in Canada) and then travel to face Sporting Kansas City on Sunday, Sept. 18 (2 pm ET on FOX).
