Giovani dos Santos wants to stay at LA Galaxy, brother Jonathan says

Giovani dos Santos wants to stay at LA Galaxy and improve on his poor 2018 season, according to the Mexico international's brother and teammate Jonathan dos Santos.

Giovani is one of the highest-paid players in MLS, but he managed only three goals and two assists over an injury-plagued season, sparking rumors about the 29-year-old's future at the club, which missed out on the playoffs.

"Gio wants to stay here," Jonathan told journalists in Los Angeles on Tuesday. "He knows that this year was a complicated year. He had the misfortune and bad luck of not being able to play a lot of games."

The Dos Santos brothers have been linked in the Mexican press with a move south to Club America -- where their father played -- but the duo want to remain part of the Galaxy and make amends for a disappointing 2018 campaign.

"We always talk about it; we want make history with this club," said the former Villarreal midfielder. "God willing next year will be good for the both of us. We want to lift the Galaxy from where it's at now."

Giovani's contract runs out at the end of 2019, while Jonathan still has three years on his. If Giovani leaves, it wouldn't necessarily mean the midfielder follows.

"I think Giovani has to be here, he's a great player, he's an important player for us," Jonathan said. "I missed him and the whole team missed him a lot this past season. I would not depend on that decision on whether the team no longer wants Giovani in the Galaxy, I do not think that would happen.

"For me, Giovani is a player who has to be here. He has to be the best player on the team next season and show the great player he is."

Gio started well in MLS, scoring 17 goals and making 17 assists in his first 38 games, but since the start of the 2017 season he has netted only nine goals and made five assists.

Both players were part of the Mexico squad in the World Cup last summer in Russia, but neither started a game for El Tri.

Galaxy president Chris Klein also confirmed that the club intends to retain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and didn't rule out the Swede taking one of the three Designated Players spots, which are currently occupied by the Dos Santos brothers and Romain Alessandrini.