Jones Won’t Rule Out Return to Galaxy

The will-he-or-won’t-he saga of unsigned Cobi Jones took a new twist Thursday when Jones’ agent suggested that the Major League Soccer star might very well be back with the Galaxy this season.

“Cobi has definitely not rejected any [MLS contract] offer and is very, very interested in returning to the Galaxy,” Cory Clemetson said. “I don’t think that’s changed.”

All the same, Clemetson said he and Jones will fly to England on Saturday to meet with representatives of one of the English Premier League’s leading teams.

He declined to identify the club in question--Leicester City has been one name rumored--but said it was one of several in Europe that have expressed interest in the 29-year-old U.S. national team winger.

Jones’ MLS contract expired Jan. 1 and, after five years in Los Angeles, the former UCLA standout decided to explore other options. As a result, he has stalled on accepting or declining a new contract offered by the league.

“He wants to see what else is out there,” Clemetson said. “The way he views it, this is his last big contract.

“I think he just wants to make sure that whatever decision he makes he’s comfortable with because he’s going to have to live with it. Also, I think the lure of Europe is tough to ignore.”

The visit to the English club is not so much a tryout as an assessment of mutual interests. In addition to five seasons in MLS, Jones has played a record 136 games for the United States and is a known quantity internationally.

“The club we’re visiting, they’re very interested, but they just want to see how he would fit with the team, his personality, meet him in person, sit down and go through all that,” Clemetson said.

“At the same time, Cobi will look at the club as well. He needs to see if it’s in a place he would like to live and he needs to get a feel for the team. It’s a big decision for him.”

Clemetson stressed that Jones is not displeased with the MLS contract offer and indicated that the sticking points could be overcome.

“For MLS, considering where they’re at with all the rumors of their financial troubles, I think it’s pretty good,” he said. “Is it everything we’re asking for? Probably not, but usually as a [player] representative you ask for a lot in the beginning and you try to get to that point. That’s our job.

“At the same time, Cobi’s got some issues, that are positive issues. He wants to know that if he signs he’ll be at the Galaxy for the rest of his career. . . . I think the Galaxy fans should embrace that kind of request. It shows loyalty on his part on where he’d like to be.”

Jones, in other words, wants a lengthy, no-trade contract, something that either MLS or the Galaxy--Clemetson is unsure which--is not inclined to give. Still, Clemetson said there is room to negotiate.

“There are a few issues, but they’re not insurmountable issues,” he said.

What might be insurmountable is the appeal of playing in front of sellout crowds at huge stadiums in more competitive leagues, probably for even more money.

As a free agent, Jones would not cost any club a transfer fee, making him even more attractive.

“When some of those teams are interested, you’d be foolhardy to at least not listen to what they have to say,” Clemetson said.

On the other hand, Jones is unlikely to gain the recognition in Europe that he has in Los Angeles.

“In this town,” Clemetson said, “I think there are really three athletes that most people know: Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and Cobi Jones. Even if you’re not an avid soccer fan, you know who Cobi is and what he looks like and know that he’s a U.S. player and a Galaxy player.

“I think he means a lot [to MLS and the Galaxy] from that standpoint. I think he understands that. That’s why he’s being very careful on the decision he’s making.”