Mexican national team star Giovani Dos Santos lent the long-circulating rumors connecting him with the LA Galaxy some legitimacy on Monday, confirming in an interview with Univision’s Rodolfo Landeros that the defending MLS Cup champions are interested in signing him.
Dos Santos, who is currently under contract with La Liga side Villarreal, is in the US with the Mexican national team for the CONCACAF Gold Cup which kicks off on July 7. El Tri will start their run in the tournament on Thursday with a Group C match against Cuba at Chicago’s Soldier Field.
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“[The Galaxy are] a team that has always been after me and of course all the talks are just rumors and it's something that's been talked about for the past two years,” Dos Santos said. “In soccer you never know where you will end up. Up to this day I have a contract with Villarreal and I am currently 100 percent focused with the national team."
A report out of Mexico on Monday claimed that Dos Santos had agreed to a deal with the Galaxy, and, while he wouldn’t go as far as to confirm that, the 26-year-old did indicate in his interview with Univision that he is interested in LA.
"Yes of course, it's one of the teams that wants me, just like there's other teams in Europe that also want me,” he said. “And of course I can't shut the doors to any team and as a soccer player you never know where you will end uptomorrow."
An exciting, attack-minded talent, Dos Santos spent years in the FC Barcelona system before continuing his career at England's Tottenham Hotspur, then returning to Spain with Mallorca and now Villarreal, where he had one goal and three assists in 27 league matches during the 2014-15 season.
Dos Santos has made 87 appearances for the Mexican national team and recently scored forEl Triin their 2-2 friendly draw with Costa Rica in Orlando on June 27. Mexico head coach Miguel Herrera said last week that a move to MLS would not affect Dos Santos’ standing with El Tri.
In his interview with Univision, Dos Santos was complimentary of MLS, praising the league and its ability to bring in big-name players like the Galaxy’s Steven Gerrard.
"Like I said, it's a league that's growing,” he said. “The names speak for themselves. It's players that are stars worldwide and it's a league that wants to continue to grow. The few MLS games that I've been able to watch I think it's a league that has grown a lot and it's a league that we need to respect and a league that's generating attention."
