LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Everton are in talks to sign Los Angeles Galaxy striker Landon Donovan on a short-term loan deal.

A temporary move to the Premier League club would enable the United States international to retain match fitness before the World Cup starts in June. The new Major League Soccer season begins in March.

“Landon is a player David Moyes has identified as someone he would like to bring to the club,” Everton chief executive Robert Elstone said yesterday. “We are working to make that happen and hope we can reach agreement soon with all the appropriate parties.”

Everton are 15th in the 20-team Premier League standings, just three points above the relegation zone.

Donovan’s Galaxy teammate, David Beckham, will also be out on loan in January for a second stint at AC Milan.

While Donovan has an American record 42 goals in 120 internationals, he has struggled during three previous stints in Europe.

He signed a six-year deal with Bayern Leverkusen at 16 in 1999, but didn’t play a game in two years and was loaned to the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer in 2001.

After four seasons in the MLS, he rejoined Leverkusen in January 2005. He made nine appearances — seven in the Bundesliga and two in the Champions League — but just two of them were starts. Two months later, he returned to the MLS with the Galaxy.

He made just five Bundesliga appearances and one German Cup appearance for Bayern Munich during a loan spell earlier this year.

But he was selected as the best player on the US team for a record-breaking sixth time in October after being instrumental in helping the Americans reach the 2010 World Cup and Confederations Cup final.