FREE AGENT BABY.
These are maybe not the words you should be tweeting if you have just helped your new franchise to a very successful season and have therefore amassed a bit of good will from the fanbase. That is exactly what Jermaine Jones did following Colorado's 1-0 loss against Seattle Sunday, likely his last game with the Rapids.
Strong Jermaine Jones game in #COLvSEA no surprise. Always performs best when his #USMNT spot or new contract is on the line #MLS #Rapids96 pic.twitter.com/PYl1xIKCea
— Jason Foster (@JogaBonitoUSA) November 28, 2016
Jermaine deleted the tweet, but he's being silly if he thinks he can hide that sort of thing from the Internet.
Jones is ineligible to sign for another MLS team (the Rapids would have to trade his rights), but he can sign anywhere else in the world that will have him if he so chooses. This seems serious, based on what he told the Denver Post after the game:
“People know that I came to this league as a (Designated Player) and this is where I want to go back to,” Jones said. “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.”
Then again, maybe this is a negotiating tactic? Is Jones just angling for a new deal with the Rapids and letting them know, in no uncertain terms, that he's willing to walk?
Probably not. Maybe this is just us, but we don't think Jermaine Jones is that devious of a negotiator. We could be wrong, though.