Joevin Jones drawing interest from Europe, Mexico

Joevin Jones is coming off a very strong end to the 2016 season and is off to an impressive start in 2017, notching seven assists in his past 20 games and playing rapidly improving defense. It would appear that teams outside of MLS are taking notice.

According to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association website, Jones is drawing interest from the “German Bundesliga, Spanish La Liga, the Mexican First Division and also another unnamed club in France.” The article also suggests Jones’ current contract is scheduled to run out at the end of this season and that the Sounders have not yet started negotiations on a new deal.

Considering how important Jones has proven himself on both ends of the field for the Sounders, this is hardly welcome news.

Still, it should probably be taken with a grain of salt. That this comes from the official site of the federation certainly lends some credence to the report. But that it just casually throws out interest from leagues as opposed to teams gives the sense that this might be the kind of news floated by an agent. The report also says these foreign clubs are “tracking” Jones, which is a ways off from making a formal offer.

That doesn’t mean the report should be entirely dismissed. Jones has undeniable physical attributes, has shown an impressive growth curve in MLS and is considered one of the most important players for the Soca Warriors. He’s also about the same age Jorge Villafaña was when he moved to Santos Laguna from the Portland Timbers on a $1 million transfer.

If one of these teams makes an offer along those lines, the Sounders couldn’t do much to stop it. Still, they’d be crazy to not at least make sure Jones is signed to an extension.