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2015 Season

Rumor Roundup: Dos Santos to LA Galaxy?

James Kiang
2015 Season
8 min read
Update July 14th, 9:00 PM
TRANSFER ALERT, TRANFER ALERT

According to Kevin Baxter at the LATimes.com the LA Galaxy have signed 26 year old, Giovani Dos Santos. Baxter has quotes from Chris Klein and an unnamed LA Galaxy source that is giving an estimate on the salary.

Dos Santos has reportedly signed a 4.5 year contract and will make less than $6 million a year. That’s under what the LA Galaxy have reportedly agreed to pay Steven Gerrard.

In addition the LA Galaxy will have possibly paid a transfer fee of more than $7 million dollars to Gio’s old club, Villarreal. At least, that’s what Villarreal asked for.

Kevin Baxter did an amazing job getting this information, so make sure to visit his link for the Quotes.

Update July 14th, 7:00 PM

Well this just took a turn. LaDoce.com.mx is reporting that the contract is finalized. And while focusing on the firm representing Giovani Dos Santos they have this poorly translated quote (poorly translated by me).

“We feel privileged to have represented the best professionals and sporting interests of Gio in this transaction, the most important for a Mexican player abroad,” said Jesus Rodriguez Davalos.

I’d have top go way back to try and find a quote from anyone in most of these articles. Let alone with someone’s name at the end. So it’s another piece to the puzzle. Possibly. Or they’re doing this just to mess with me.

Update July 14th, 6:45 PM

Just when we thought we wouldn’t get any more “confirmations,” we did. This just rounds another beautiful day being an LA Galaxy supporter. Is this one real? Who knows! But there it is. In all it’s glory.

Update July 14th, 3:25 PM

So we have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that no one has come out with a better place for Gio to go. The bad news is that it’s all gone pretty quiet today. Realistically we’ve always known that nothing “official” would be announced until after Mexico’s exit in the Gold Cup, but still. Can’t someone make up a new confirmation or something?

So here’s a picture that means absolutely nothing… probably.

 

Update July 13th, 11:45 AM

We’re tracking back on some of the stuff we missed yesterday, but here’s a nice tweet from Agent Ron Waxman.

And LJ… We feel your pain! Just make it stop!

Also, this was brought to our attention.

So where does that leave us on this wonderful Monday? Exactly where we’ve been from the start.

See an update we missed? Hit us up on twitter!

Updated July 12th, 12:15 PM

Perhaps lost a bit in the LA Galaxy debut of Steven Gerrard, Giovani Dos Santos’ Dad/Agent was seen at StubHub Center with LA Galaxy President Chris Klein!

So if you are one to believe that this deal will actually happen, as been reported below several times, then this would seem to indicate that Dos Santos does indeed have some type of deal in place.

However, just to make sure we cover all the bases for this one, Dos Santos’ Dad does have links to Club America. So perhaps he was just visiting, or something.

Are we having fun yet?

Also, here is a report from ESPNFC that again touches on the fact that Miguel Herrera, Mexican National Team Manager, hasn’t been told of any decision for Giovani Dos Santos. But again, would he be the first to know? Read it HERE!

Update July 11th, 7:45 PM

Yep. We’ve got another quote that will again leave us right where we started. Although I’m not sure Herrera is in the position to be the first to know. He’s already said that he’d have no problem with Gio coming to the LA Galaxy.

Update July 11th, 3:47 PM

Did you take a nap? Then you might’ve missed this additional update. Another confirmation, but this time, we have to live with the fact that nothing has been signed yet. For those of you convinced that Giovani Dos Santos isn’t coming to LA, hang your hat on that. No signature. No contract. Yet…

 

Update July 11th, 2:01 PM

Another confirmation?

MedioTiempo.com is reporting that the deal is done. Saying it’s a 4 year $7 million contract. Remember, if this is all true, that puts the 26 year old with LA in his prime. That’s a big deal.

Enjoy your soccering this weekend!

Update July 11th, 9:30 AM

Are things finally slowing down? We saw this yesterday thanks to a loyal listener!

So the Dos Santos boys’ future is all in the hands of dad? Yeah, because the former footballer manages both his sons’ careers. I heard they all live together too. But none the less it looks like a meeting in Phoenix is taking place. Anyone know where Chris Klein is?

Update July 9th, 2:53 PM

While not official confirmation of course, it does appear that the rumors of Giovani dos Santos joining the Galaxy are coming closer to reality. Francisco Rivera of Fox Sports tweeted that there will be information given during the pregame show for the Mexico vs. Cuba Gold Cup game today on Fox Sports 1 at 6 PM.  A separate report on marca.com seems to support the tweets from Mario Malfavon from yesterday stating that the signing would be announced after the Gold Cup and that dos Santos would be making $3.4 million.

Update July 8th, 3:00 PM

The Orlando Sentinel, meanwhile, said that the earlier reports of a $9 million dollar salary were false. That it would be less than 6 million.

What none of this information is really doing however, is explaining how everything will be accomplished. MLS announced today that a new mechanism called “Target Allocation Money” can be used to pay for a player who’s not a Designated Player but still lands above the Max Salary Budget number of $436,250. Targeted Allocation Money can also be used to pay down the salary of a DP to below the DP status. This may be the pathway to paying down Gonzalez’s reportedly $1 million dollar salary. Remember, the LA Galaxy would need to open up a Designated Player spot to sign Giovani Dos Santos.

Update July 6 3:50 PM

According to this link, the LA Galaxy and Giovani dos Santos have reached agreement. He would join the club after the Gold Cup and receive a salary of $9 million. The timing definitely makes sense and would still be within the secondary transfer window but the amount is more than has been reported elsewhere. The first domino will be an MLS announcement about the Core Player spot.

Update July 5th 10:40 PM

www.mlssoccer.com posted quotes from Mexico National Team coach Miguel Herrera and Galaxy GM/Coach Bruce Arena.

About how the reported move of dos Santos to the Galaxy would affect his standing with El Tri, Herrera stated, “No. Why? He’ll have a team, maintain his game rhythm. There’s no reason it would affect anything.”

About the reported signing, Arena said, “We haven’t signed anyone. We have no comment on players until we sign them. I think that’s generally been the case during the years that I’ve been here.”

Update July 2nd 10:10 PM

Original Story Below

Gerrard. Lampard.  After months of build up, these two legends of the English Premier League are set to officially join the LA Galaxy and NYCFC when the secondary MLS transfer window opens on July 8.  Pirlo?  The Italian maestro is believed to also be joining NYCFC imminently.  While all three of these players will undoubtedly add international star power to the league, there is no denying these are older players.  With their talents and skills, they should be able to achieve success in the MLS; indeed, the Galaxy at least are counting on Stevie G to stabilize a midfield that has only recently begun to show what they are capable of.

Enter (maybe?) Giovani dos Santos and Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez.  Both players have been rumored to be targets for the MLS for years.  On June 28, ESPN soccer analyst and former MLS star Taylor Twellman reported that the MLS was working on adopting a new mechanism that would allow the league to finally bring these players into the fold.  As this story gained momentum on Twitter and across the internet, it was rumored that dos Santos appeared to even have a destination nearly in place – namely, the LA Galaxy.

How would this work?

MLS fans know that the league uses a salary structure that include three roster spots for Designated Players, also known as the Beckham Rule.  LA fans also know that these three spots are currently filled on the Galaxy’s roster, by forward Robbie Keane, defender Omar Gonzalez, and the aforementioned midfield legend Steven Gerrard.  Gonzalez has been rumored to have interest in moving to one of the European leagues but that would seem to be a move that would happen in the off-season, not at the halfway point in this season.

Twellman, Ives Galarcep, and other internet sources speculate that the MLS is about to add a “Core Player” roster spot, which would basically allow for teams to have a fourth Designated Player.  Another Twitter source, Sean Steffen, reported that the MLS was supposed to be contacting teams to announce this mechanism on July 1 but as of this writing no official reports have come out.  Kristian Dyer, writing for FC Yahoo on Yahoo.com, reports that the Core Player spot is actually “a new way to implement allocation money.”  Essentially, according to Dyer, the Core Player would be an existing Designated Player with a salary in a certain range.  In the Galaxy’s case, allocation money could conceivably be used to pay down Gonzalez’ salary so that he fits in the Core Player range which would then open up his Designated Player spot.

Who is Giovani dos Santos?

Dos Santos is a 26 year-old Mexican-born soccer player with quite a bit of experience in Europe.  He came up in the FC Barcelona system in La Liga then was moved in 2008 to Tottenham Hotspurs in the EPL.  After a series of loans over 2009-2011, dos Santos returned to La Liga, this time signing with Mallorca in 2012.  Facing relegation, he then moved in 2013 to a more established franchise, Villarreal CF.  He has scored 12 goals in 58 appearances with the club.  Throughout his club career he has also had multiple appearances for the Mexico National Team, scoring 17 goals in 87 caps.

Primarily used as an attacking midfielder, dos Santos also has experience as a winger and a forward.  With Robbie Keane recently extending his contract and young players like Gyasi Zardes and Bradford Jamieson IV showing much potential, it would seem dos Santos would likely be used by LA to fill the hole in the midfield left by the retirement of Landon Donovan.  Steven Gerrard and Juninho would seem to have the central midfield spots locked up but using dos Santos on either side would have to be seen as an improvement.  Along with newly-signed Sebastian Lletget, this foursome would offer speed, creativity, ball handling, and defense from the midfield and could be reminiscent of the David Beckham era.

Not only would the signing of dos Santos be a coup for the Galaxy on the pitch, it would also be an excellent marketing draw.  While he may not be as big a name as Beckham – who is? – he is still a young player with proven skills.  The Galaxy would gain a Mexican star that could be used to elevate their attendance numbers to unprecedented heights.  The secondary transfer window is open from July 8 to August 6.  Now it just remains to be seen if the Core Player spot can be implemented in time to move the Galaxy from playoff contenders to odds-on favorites to win their sixth MLS Cup.