Football
Tom Marshall, Mexico correspondent 5y

Dos Santos signs with America: 'A dream fulfilled'

Former LA Galaxy forward Giovani Dos Santos has signed with Liga MX giant Club America on a two-year deal, the club announced on Saturday.

The MLS club exercised its option to buy out the contract in March and the 30-year-old Dos Santos has been searching for a club since, with ESPN reporting that the deal to bring him to America was close on Thursday evening.

The Mexico international will join the Mexico City club his father, "Zizinho" Dos Santos, played for in the 1980s.

"It's a dream fulfilled personally and for the family," Dos Santos said in an interview with Univision. "I said it [before], if I returned to Mexico one day it would be with America. It's happening and it's the perfect moment because there's a coach [Miguel Herrera] that I know very well and he knows me, so I'm really happy.

"There are no words, I feel happy, I'm proud of being part of the most important institution in Mexico football and it's a really happy moment for me.

"It's a new challenge, very special personally and for my family. I'm an America fan, my father played there, it was part of the family and it is a very special challenge."

Rumors linked Dos Santos with moves as far and wide as to Qatar, Italy and Brazil, but the veteran of three World Cups will play in his native Mexico for the first time.

"I've always said that we are America fans from the cradle and hopefully [Giovani's move to America] happens," brother Jonathan Dos Santos said after Mexico's 3-1 Gold Cup victory over Canada in Denver on June 19.

Giovani was training with the national team in Mexico City and could make his official debut for Las Aguilas at the same stadium in which he played with the LA Galaxy, when America takes on Tigres in the Campeon de Campeones playoff at Dignity Health Sports Park on July 14.

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