By Tiffany Williams –
DeJuan Jones on Thursday re-signed with New England Revolution through the 2027 Major League Soccer season.
New England Revolution made the announcement Thursday morning that the team re-signed Jones, who is entering his sixth season with the Revolution, to a new four-year contract.
“DeJuan Jones has emerged into one of Major League Soccer’s better outside backs during his five seasons with our club,” Revolution Sporting Director Curt Onalfo said. “DeJuan is a tremendous talent, a respected teammate, and a pillar in the local community, all of which make him an important part of our team moving forward. We are thrilled to have DeJuan in a Revolution uniform for years to come.”
Jones, 26, was selected by the Revolution with the 11th-overall pick in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft and has 125 league appearances and 111 starts, with six goals and 20 assists in his five years with the team.
When asked about his decision to sign a new contract with the Revolution through 2027, Jones said, “New England has been my home for the last five years. Yeah, it’s been great, the way the fans have embraced me. I’ve really enjoyed my time here. I’ve had good conversations with the front office and with Caleb Porter, and I like the direction that the Revs are heading in, and I think we’re going to be really successful. So, I was excited to extend my time here in New England, and yeah, I think we’re going to do big things.”
Jones’ seven assists in both 2022 and 2023 represent the most by a Revolution defender in a single season, a record he shares with fellow outside back Brandon Bye, and in New England’s historic 2021 campaign, Jones set then-career highs with 31 games played, three goals, and five assists to help claim the Supporters’ Shield title with an MLS-record 73 regular season points.
When asked about his expectations for himself in 2024, Jones said, “I would say for the past, maybe, couple of years, I’ve been amongst the best outside backs in the league, but I want to be the best outside back in the league. I think this year with new coaching, new ideas, a new environment, I think this will help me continue to grow and stake my claim for being the best outside back in the league. I think for me, that’s locking down defensively as well as scoring more goals and assisting, being able to keep possession for the team, and just being a leader out there – continuing to lead with my actions and with my voice. A lot of personal goals this year, and I think Caleb Porter can help me reach those goals.”
At the international level, Jones continues to carve out a role with the United States Men’s National Team, having earned five call-ups to date, and currently is Orlando, Florida for January Camp ahead of a friendly against Slovenia on Jan. 20. Jones has recorded three assists across his seven senior caps, including two helpers in four starts at the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup, and he won his first cap in January 2023 in a friendly against Serbia.
When asked if he still has interest in playing in Europe in the future, Jones said, “I would say I still want to go to Europe, I think, if the opportunity is there. We’ll see what happens when it gets to that situation, but for now, this was the best move for my career. Getting a new coaching change is always something that you can really benefit from. So, there will be new instruction, new ideas, which I’m excited to learn from – a different coach. I really want to win something here in New England, and I think we have the talent on the roster to do that. So, I think this year is big, and I think we could really do some big things.”
Of the field, Jones is active in the community and each fall he leads a back-to-school shopping spree for dozens of Boston-area families and helps feed hundreds of families through his annual Turkey Club fundraiser with the Providence Rescue Mission, which helped provide Thanksgiving meals to around 500 families in 2023.
“I’ve worked closely with the community here, and excited to continue the work and the fundraisers that we do,” said Jones “So, a lot of good things to continue to build on here in New England and yeah, excited for more years.”
Following January Camp, Jones will rejoin the Revolution early in the club’s preseason at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
New England, led by new Head Coach Caleb Porter, will open the 2024 slate in Panama on Wednesday, Feb. 21 against CA Independiente in Round One of the Concacaf Champions Cup. New England then begins the 2024 MLS regular season on Saturday, February 24 at D.C. United.