Midfielder Jermaine Jones could join the U.S. national team later this year, possibly with defender Edgar Castillo, reports Ronald Blum of AP.
The 27-year-old Jones, who has appeared in the European Champions League for Schalke of the Bundesliga, has played three times for Germany’s national team in exhibitions. He holds dual citizenship and has petitioned FIFA for a switch of nationality.
“We’ve had pretty regular communications with Jermaine’s representatives and his advisers,” U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati said Thursday. “I think that paperwork for that has probably now been submitted to FIFA. And the earliest he would be eligible to move would be the 2nd of August, which would be 60 days after the rule change came into effect.”
Jones, the son of a U.S. soldier, was Eintracht Frankfurt’s captain before signing a four-year contract with Schalke in April 2007.
Plans aren’t as far along with Castillo, a 22-year-old from New Mexico with Mexico’s Tigres UANL. He made his debut for Mexico’s national team against Colombia on Aug. 22, 2007, and has played in four matches for El Tri.
“We’ve had some discussions with Edgar’s representatives in the last few days,” Gulati said. “Everything is open. I don’t think Bob is ready to say that he’s coming into the team or not coming into the team, but from our perspective we’ve had some preliminary discussions with Edgar.”
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