Topics: Giovani dos Santos, Bruce Arena, Major League Soccer, Chris Klein, Mexico, L.A. Galaxy
Gio will become one of the best paid players in the Major League Soccer. Gio could be presented with his new team once the Gold Cup is over.

After 15 years playing in Europe with a handful of teams like Barcelona, Spurs and Galatasaray, Giovanni dos Santos is leaving Europe and will continue his career with L.A. Galaxy in the Major league Soccer. The 26-year-old Mexican winger, will be Steven Gerrard's teammate for at least the next four years.

The papers have already been signed and an official announcement could be made in the following hours while the presentation will have to wait until Gio is done playing for Mexico in the Gold Cup. In his last season with Villarreal, he played in 40 games (all competitions) and scored six goals.

The reigning MLS Champions have reportedly paid $7 million for the young player who already won the U-17 World Cup with Mexico in 2005. He will take the spot of Omar Gonzalez as a Designated Player after the MLS adopted new rules concerning the salary caps for its clubs.

"We've had an interest in Giovani dos Santos. And I think he's always had an interest in us," said the president of the team, Chris Klein. "It just took time for everything to come together."

El Piojo will still consider him for national team duties

If everything works out between Gio and his new club, the oldest of the dos Santos brothers could be making his debut with his new team on August 9 against Clint Dempsey and the Seattle Sounders. His dad, Geraldo Francisco "Zizinho", was with Klein over the weekend and attended a match between Galaxy and Club America.

The manager Bruce Arena considers that Gio will fit right into a team that looks to defend their MLS title. The qualities that he sees in the Mexican star can really benefit the attacking unit of Arena's team.

"He has the individual flair that sometimes we lack in the final third of the field," Arena said to the LA Times. "His running off the ball's good. He can go by people. He has an excellent first touch. He's a finisher. He can pass."

Dos Santos is expected to have a big impact on the field as well as outside of it. He is the first Mexican national team player to join L.A. Galaxy during his prime. The fact that Los Angeles is a place with a very high percentage of a Hispanic population make it a wise decision from a marketing perspective as well. 

Dos Santos comes to the MLS with very high expectation about him