Not that it's ideal and my memory of how it all works is not great but has anyone done one of those half season EPL loans in a while or did MLS stop that. Didn't Donovan and Dempsey both play a full MLS season, go on loan for the back half of the EPL season and then come back to MLS the following year?
We are stuck in this place where Jack is likely ready to give the next level a shot yet 1 more year of development with us helps as well. Add in that we get more GAM if he waits one more year. Could the half year loan approach be a compromise? Go play the back half of this season with an EPL club, come back play one more year with NYCFC and then move the Europe full time at the end of next season.
Yep. Donovan did that 2-3 times for Everton and played really well (both on and off the field, apparently). Dempsey did it once with Fulham when he was back with Seattle, but failed to help them avoid relegation.
It's about a month or six weeks. Not that long, but potentially helpful to their development and fitness.
ETA: And Beckham did it with one of the Italian teams and then didn't come back until summer.