Should Premier League Clubs Loan More Players To The MLS?

There are some links to the MLS in the English Premier League, loosely with Tottenham and Arsenal. I've often wondered why America hasn't been tapped for development of the younger players currently plying their trade in the EPL, and the English National Team. Maybe it's because people in Europe don't view the MLS as a worthy league yet, preferring to instead loan the players to teams in the lower divisions of English football. Or maybe it's because it's one of the few leagues not on the FIFA schedule (summer to winter).

Whatever the reason may be, the teams in Europe could provide their players with plenty of playing time for their young players in a non-traditional schedule. Think about it this way, you can loan a player out for the summer, to keep their fitness up against a good group of players and coaches in the MLS. Simon Dawkins came over to the San Jose Earthquakes, and made their squad two years ago. OK, so that's not a great name to hang your hat on, but if you sent over players like Nick Powell, Jack Butland, Wilfred Zaha, to get some playing time, they might improve more than just sitting on the bench, or playing against lower league opposition. I realise that the Championship is a good level, but is it better than the MLS?

Yes, the standard of the MLS isn't up to the standard you see in leagues around Europe, but those leagues have been developed over decades, almost up to a century where as we are going into the 19th year for the MLS. To think, Stoke have two players who have trained in the MLS. Landon Donovan has taken a couple loan spells at Everton. Not too mention Clint Dempsey at Fulham and Spurs. So why can't teams send players the other way?

Who wouldn't want to spend the summer in the USA? The MLS is getting stronger every single day and it offers a different style to the more traditional leagues in Europe. Playing for a club here in the United States would give Zaha the chance to improve his game, sharpen his skills. Putting him on the sideline and not finding first team minutes for him stunts the growth of a player who could be an exceptional talent in years to come.

John Terry was loaned out, yeah not to an MLS side, but he got to play. Zaha playing over the summer on loan  during a World  Cup year, which if you follow his career path right now, he won't be playing in, would give him some much needed development.