Giovani dos Santos closes in on LA Galaxy move

The LA Galaxy are set to unveil Steven Gerrard on Saturday, but sources tell Goal he isn't the only star midfielder on his way to the reigning MLS champions

Los Angeles Galaxy are working on a deal to sign Giovani dos Santos from Villarreal.

Reports first emerged in Spain that the Mexico international was the subject of a €7 million bid from the Galaxy and multiple sources have confirmed to Goal that a deal is indeed in the pipeline and its completion will be aided by impending changes to the current MLS salary cap and roster guidelines.
MLS owners are ready to ratify changes to the current salary cap rules to create a Core Player roster spot that will effectively work as a fourth designated player place for any teams currently using all three slots.
The Galaxy currently boast reigning MLS MVP Robbie Keane and US national team defender Omar Gonzalez as DPs, with Gerrard joining as the third this weekend. Dos Santos, who is currently with the Mexican national team preparing for the Concacaf Gold Cup, would not join the team until August, by which time MLS would be expected to have implemented its salary cap changes.
One source within MLS confirmed to Goal that the adoption of the Core Player roster slot is a "safe bet" to be approved this summer, thus clearing the way for the Dos Santos transfer. It remains unclear whether MLS will foot the bill for Dos Santos' transfer the way it did with Clint Dempsey's move from Tottenham to Seattle, or if the Galaxy are going to pay for the transfer and the sizable salary Dos Santos will command.
In Dos Santos, the Galaxy would be adding the Mexican star the club has craved in order to help secure a larger segment of the soccer fanbase in the greater Los Angeles area, particularly with the looming arrival of a second MLS team in the market in 2018.
If the Galaxy do land Dos Santos with the help of the Core Player slot, they won't be the only team essentially boasting four DPs. New York City FC are preparing to add Frank Lampard and Andrea Pirlo to David Villa as three designated players. Mix Diskerud was believed to be a player the club would earmark for its Core Player rule, but having already paid down his salary slot this season, NYCFC could be using the Core Player slot to help squeeze in the arrival of Spanish international Andoni Iraola, a highly-regarded defender who was a regular starter with Athletic Bilbao.
The Sounders and Toronto FC are also currently featuring three DPs, meaning they too could take advantage of the new rule once it is approved.