The LA Galaxy have held talks with US national team veteran and erstwhile Colorado Rapids star Jermaine Jones on a possible move to the Southern California club, president Chris Klein confirmed to ESPN FC.
An impact midfielder – albeit one who missed well over half the season due to injury, suspension and international commitments – for the Rapids, Jones' contract with Colorado expires at the end of this season. The Rapids maintain his MLS rights, though he is free to sign a new deal elsewhere outside the league.
Jones, who maintains a permanent residence in the Los Angeles area, watched a Lakers basketball game in a courtside seat alongside Klein and Galaxy general manager Pete Vagenas this week.
“Jermaine is someone who will be free and he's a national team player that lives here, so we got together and had a very nice conversation with him,” Klein told ESPN FC's Jeff Carlisle, taking care to note that any deal to acquire Jones would require compensation to head in Colorado's direction. Carlisle cited an anonymous source to report that the Rapids have given Jones permission to talk to other clubs.
A Designated Player signing when he joined the New England Revolution after the 2014 World Cup, Jones signed with Colorado last winter on a one-year deal that reportedly constituted a significant salary drop from his previous DP wages.
“I don’t know if I’ll stay in MLS, maybe something else comes up,” Jones told reporters after Colorado's season ended with a Western Conference Championship loss to Seattle. “Right now, I’ll really relax, so it’s no pressure on me. It’s always good if you always have the cards in your hands, especially if you’re a free agent.
“People know that I came to this league as a [Designated Player] and this is where I want to go back to. I’m a free agent now. I will sit back and see what comes. I’m not scared to go back to Europe or scared to go to Mexico or somewhere.”
