Projecting the best fit for Jermaine Jones in MLS
United States midfielder would seem to be a good fit for Chivas USA.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Based on the Instagram image above that was accompanied by this “S/o & Thanks for the support from the Fans in US and in Brazil AMAZING!!! maybe we see us in MLS” it would appear as though the rumors of Jermaine Jones heading to MLS have real legs. Jones is now officially out of contract, meaning he’s free to go anywhere that will take him.
While he could still choose to remain in Europe, it seems as good a time as any to wonder which MLS teams would make the most sense.
The rumor that has the most legs and makes the most sense is that Jones will somehow end up with Chivas USA. Jones is believed to want to play in Southern California and while he'd probably like to play for the LA Galaxy, the league would need to do some serious maneuvering in order to allow them to have a fourth Designated Player or convince Jones to take less than a DP's wage.
While spending big money on an American DP is not something that has previously been in Chivas USA's DNA, they are poised for a massive rebrand. Rumor has it that the league has already found a new owner for the moribund franchise and that that person will be unmasked sometime after the World Cup. Jones may not have been a household name a couple months ago, but after his World Cup performance he's someone a club like Chivas USA could easily design a campaign around.
In addition to whatever marketing boost he could bring, Jones could help the recently competitive side make a run at the playoffs. Jones would also serve as a great mentor for promising midfielder Marco Delgado.
The only wrinkle in this plan is how Jones would find his way to Chivas USA, as they currently sit 11th in the Allocation Order. The simplest path would be for them to swing a trade with Toronto FC, who already has the maximum three DPs anyway.
But MLS could also decide Jones is not subject to the Allocation Order, the same way they did with Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley. Of course, Jones is no where near as high-profile as either of those players and also wouldn't require the league to pay a transfer fee.
If we assume, then, that Jones goes through allocation which other teams might be interested? The Columbus Crew are second and don't really need a player like Jones, as they already have Will Trapp; FC Dallas already has three DPs; and D.C. United is pretty set at defensive midfielder with Perry Kitchen. The next team on the list that seems to make sense is the Chicago Fire, who could offer the big-city life Jones seems to want and also have a need at the position he plays. He could also be a nice central midfield partner for one of the league's more promising youngsters in Harrison Shipp.
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