Jermaine Jones has finally found a home for the 2016 MLS season.
After a lengthy period of uncertainty, the US international has landed with the Colorado Rapids in a sign-and-trade deal with the New England Revolution, it was announced Friday. In exchange, the Revolution have received Colorado’s natural first-round draft pick in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft and general allocation money.
The deal marks an end to the offseason saga that saw Jones fail to come to terms on a deal for a third season in New England. He’ll also be required to serve a six-game suspension with the Rapids for making contact with referee Mark Geiger during New England’s playoff loss last year to D.C. United.
Yet despite his club status being in flux, Jones has maintained a prominent role with the USMNT, earning his 57th and 58th caps after starting in their last two friendlies against Iceland and Canada earlier this year.
Jones joins a Rapids team in transition following their last-place finish in the Western Conference last season. This winter, Pablo Mastroeni's side has parted ways with 15 players from the 2015 roster and brought in a number of new faces in the midfield, including former Sounders playmaker Marco Pappa and former Union youngster Zach Pfeffer.
Jones, 34, arrived in MLS in August 2014 as a Designated Player after a blind draw landed him in New England and he proceeded to lead the Revs to the MLS Cup final that season and the MLS Cup Playoffs again last year.
In all, Jones made 28 regular-season appearances (24 starts) for New England, scoring two goals and recording four assists. In the Revs’ 2014 MLS Cup run, he scored a goal and had two assists in five games.
Prior to joining MLS, Jones spent 14 seasons in various European leagues, most notably with the Bundesliga's Eintracht Frankfurt (2005-07) and Schalke 04 (2007-14).
