US soccer star Donovan becomes part-owner of Swansea

Washington (AFP) – Retired US star striker Landon Donovan, the all-time Major League Soccer and American top scorer, revealed Friday his participation in the US consortium taking over Swansea of the English Premier League.

After the Premier League announced final approval of the takeover, Donovan sang his Swans song — taking to Twitter to reveal his latest football undertaking.

“Extremely excited to be part of the new @swansofficial ownership group! Looking forward to meeting The Jack Army and helping however I can,” Donovan tweeted.

The consortium buying a majority stake in the Welsh club is led by Jason Levien, the manager partner of MLS club DC United, and Steve Kaplan, executive vice-chairman of the NBA Memphis Grizzlies.

The US group obtained about 60 percent of the club that placed 12th in the table on 47 points last season under new Italian coach Francesco Guidolin.

Donovan, 34, scored 57 goals with the US national team in 157 caps from 2000 to 2014, five better than number two US all-time scorer Clint Dempsey.

In addition, Donovan has scored an MLS record 144 goals and won the MLS Cup title a record six times, twice with the San Jose Earthquakes and four times with the Los Angeles Galaxy, including in his final MLS match in 2014.

Donovan, who will advise Kaplan and Levien on football-related matters as well as have an ownership stake in the club, also played in England’s top level, making 17 appearances for Everton and scoring two goals on loans from the Galaxy in 2010 and 2012. He also had brief stints in Germany with Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich.