Report: Jermaine Jones Looks to Move to MLS; Portland Timbers an Option?

Late last year came a trade that everybody at first scratched their head over, then allowed themselves to get whipped up into a frenzy over. It was a trade to Chivas USA that saw their 2nd allocation order spot for returning USMNT players go to the Portland Timbers. Back then, as we know now, it was planned to be used for Mix Diskerud, a deal which fell apart a few weeks later.

Fast forward a few months and the Timbers are still second in the allocation order behind Toronto FC and with a hot new rumor of Jermaine Jones, the USMNT's German-American central defensive midfielder suddenly becoming a potential option, there might be value yet in that trade.

According to the report Jones is currently nearing the end of his contract with the Bundesliga's Schalke 04 (one of the better club in the Bundesliga) and while the two are still in discussions it would appear that Jones has his heart set on joining the country of his father, though it could be a negotiating tactic. Still, Schalke doesn't seem too keen on him leaving so who knows what will happen.

The bottom line is that Toronto FC could well pass on this option, in which case, Jones would fall right to the Timbers. While it might not make sense right now, this deal is undoubtedly being planned for the summer (if at all) and, by then, who knows what the Timbers will need. At the very least, if Jones does want to come over, their #2 allocation spot suddenly becomes much more valuable.

What do you think of Jermaine Jones joining MLS? What about the Timbers signing him?

[via NBC ProSoccerTalk, Goal auf Deutsch]