US midfielder Jones joins Besiktas on loan

Associated Press

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) — United States midfielder Jermaine Jones joined Turkish club Besiktas on loan from Bundesliga team Schalke until the end of the season on Thursday.

Besiktas announced the deal on its website, adding it has the option to make the move permanent.

The 32-year-old Jones will have more opportunities to "lay the foundations for a successful World Cup in Brazil," Schalke general manager Horst Heldt said.

Jones' contract with Schalke ran to June, but Heldt said it was terminated by "mutual consent."

"Our thanks to him for his efforts in the Schalke jersey over the last seven years," Heldt said. "As soon as the opportunity arises we will bid farewell again in a worthy manner. We wish him all the best in his professional and personal future."

Jones joined Schalke in 2007 from fellow German club Eintracht Frankfurt after a stint at Bayer Leverkusen. He spent half a season on loan at then-English Premier League side Blackburn in 2011.

He has seven goals in 129 Bundesliga games for Schalke, and also played in 17 German Cup matches and 36 European games.

The German-born Jones has two goals in 38 appearances for the U.S.