United States Men’s National Team midfielder Jermaine Jones has rejected an offer to return to MLS through the Chicago Fire. Per a report in Goal USA, the 32-year-old has rejected a 2.5 year, $6 million deal. Jones is available to be signed on a costless transfer, as his contract with German side Schalke 04 has run out. Jones finished the 2013-14 season with Turkish side Besiktas on loan.
Jones enjoyed a stellar FIFA World Cup, and scored the first American goal in the 2-2 draw with Portugal. This writer felt that he was the best outfield player for the United States in the World Cup, and it was widely expected that a big move would come for him.
However, the combination of his age and previous struggles at the club level have meant that a big money move has not yet come. That is, until now. Earlier this week Chicago Fire manager Frank Yallop confirmed that they did have an interest in Jones.
On Wednesday night's ESPN MLS Game of the Week, analyst Alexi Lalas said that if a deal were to happen, the Fire would likely need to stump up a contract offering $3 million a year, which the Fire haven't yet done. Under the terms of the rejected deal, Jones would have received $1.3 million for the rest of this season and $2.35 million during both the 2015 and 2016 seasons. The terms of that deal would have put Jones in the top 10 salaries in MLS, but it seems he is holding out for the $3 million per year.
It is now unclear where Jones will turn. Having now rejected a massive deal to return to MLS and having not been offered a deal at either Besiktas or Schalke, he will now likely hold out in the hope that he will get a better offer from an MLS side. This writer's prediction: he will find himself playing in a Chicago Fire before long, but it will likely be because he doesn't get a better offer and instead signs a reduced deal in Chicago, somewhere in the region of a 2.5 year, $5.25 million deal.