Derrick Jones cleared to play for United States at U20 World Cup

United States U20 head coach Tab Ramos already had tough decisions to make filling out his 21-player roster for the U20 World Cup in South Korea later this month.

But he’ll have even one more player to consider now that, according to a report in Sports Illustrated, Philadelphia Union midfielder Derrick Jones has been cleared to suit up for the United States.

The 20-year-old homegrown player is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Ghana, where he was born and lived until emigrating to the states when he was 14.

He has trained and played for Ramos’ squad in the past but was awaiting paperwork to be eligible for the World Cup, something that did not happen in time for his selection at the CONCACAF U20 Championship, which the U.S. won for the first time in Costa Rica in early March.

Ramos told SoccerAmerica back in March that Jones is “a player who could potentially be important to the team if he’s doing well.” He made his MLS debut the first week of the season in Vancouver and has made five starts and two appearances off the bench.

His competition for the midfield includes the likes of Erik Palmer-Brown, who captained the team in Costa Rica, Tyler Adams, Gedion Zelalem and Weston McKennie. Palmer-Brown and Zelalem were both on the team in 2015.