The New England Revolution have announced the signing of Ivorian midfielder Xavier Kouassi as a designated player, in an apparent blow to Jermaine Jones' odds of returning to the club.
Kouassi will join New England from Swiss side FC Sion upon completion of his contract June 30, meaning he will miss the first four months of the MLS campaign. Per MLS policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
"Xavier is an athletic, versatile player,” said Revolution general manager Mike Burns in a club release. “We believe he will add a presence to our midfield and improve the overall quality of our team."
The 26-year-old has been with Sion for three seasons, serving as the team's captain for the past two campaigns. Kouassi has helped his club to the Europa League round of 32, where it will face Braga later this month.
Internationally, Kouassi made one appearance for the Ivory Coast in 2011.
The signing could decrease the chances the Revs bring back U.S. international Jones, whose contract has expired. Jones revealed in December that New England had offered him less than 20 percent of what he made in 2015, when his guaranteed compensation was listed as $3.05 million.
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