Jermaine Jones is finally coming to America.
After weeks of reports about Jones's next destination, the New England Revolution announced on Sunday that the gritty United States national team midfielder will be a Rev going forward.
He will be added to the Revs’ roster upon receipt of his International Transfer Certificate and will be one of the team’s Designated Players. Per league and club rules, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Jones, 32, joins the Revolution after a solid performance for the United States during the FIFA World Cup this summer in Brazil, where he notched a goal and an assist in four starts. A ruthless tackler known for his ability to roam both ends of the central midfield, Jones was one of just three field players on the US team to play every minute of the Americans’ four games.
“This is a great opportunity for us to add one of the best players in the United States to our club,” said Revolution investor/operator Jonathan Kraft in a statement. “We thought Jermaine was the best player for the U.S. in the World Cup and we are excited to welcome him to New England. Robert [Kraft] and I have always said that any major DP signing would need to make an impact, on and off the field, and we believe the addition of Jermaine will do just that.
"When we learned that he was interested in signing with MLS, we immediately informed the league of our interest. He is a dynamic player and is certain to have a tremendous impact on our team and in our community. We look forward to his many contributions.”
The Revolution were not the only MLS club interested in signing Jones after his contract with Turkish side Besiktas expired in June. The Chicago Fire were also openly chasing his signature, and remained adamant about their pursuit. In the end, they lost out only by the luck of the draw.
Per the Revolution's press release, "Jones, as a designated player of a certain threshold, was not subject to allocation ranking for dispersal to an MLS team. The Revolution and Fire expressed an interest in Jones, and had the available salary budget and a designated player slot to accommodate him. Following a blind draw between the two clubs, Jones was assigned to the Revolution."
“I’m very excited to come to MLS and join the Revolution,” Jones said in a statement. “New England is an exciting team on the rise, and I believe I can come in and help the team make a push toward MLS Cup. Playing with the U.S. national team has given me a great connection with the American fans, and I’m looking forward to playing in front of them every weekend.
"I’m ready to get started with the Revs.”
The Revolution are currently in sixth place in the Eastern Conference after Saturday's 1-0 win over Chivas USA and just one point out of the fifth and final playoff spot. They are looking for a return to the playoffs after making the postseason in 2013 and taking eventual champs Sporting Kansas City to extra time in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Jones should help shore up the midfield and bring another veteran presence to the Revolution locker room. Originally a product of the Eintract Frankfurt system in his native Germany, Jones made his professional debut in 2000. Four years later, moved to the bigger club Bayer Leverkusen.
In 2007, he joined Bundesliga powerhouse Schalke 04, where he excelled for seven years as a menacing midfield presence. He ended up making 129 league appearances for S04, as well as 25 appearances in the UEFA Champions League, the most by an American player.
In 2011, he made 15 appearances while on loan to English Premier League side Blackburn Rovers.
This past January, Jones signed with Besiktas, for whom he made 10 league appearances.
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At the international level, Jones has also been a regular for the United States since his 2009 switch of allegiance from Germany, who he represented three times in friendlies. He currently has 46 caps since debuting in 2010 in a friendly against Poland. He is the latest in a string of USMNT regulars who have joined or re-joined MLS in the past year, joining the likes of Seattle Sounders forward Clint Dempsey, Toronto FC midfielder Michael Bradley, Houston Dynamo left back DaMarcus Beasley, and Philadelphia Union midfielder Maurice Edu.
The Revolution will formally present Jones to the media on Tuesday at Gillette Stadium after he trains with his new club for the first time.
