[AMERICANS ABROAD] Blackburn Rovers manager Steve Kean rates 29-year-old U.S. international Jermaine Jones an important addition to the English Premier League club's midfield.

Jones arrived on loan for six months after falling out with Schalke 04 manager Felix Magath after three-plus seasons in Gelsenkirchen.

"He's a fantastic signing for us," said Kean. "Anybody who knows him as a player, he's a natural ball winner, he's a very good passer as well. He's got a fantastic engine, he can go box-to-box, he's a genuine all round midfield player."

Blackburn, which has also signed Paraguayan Roque Santa Cruz during the January transfer window, is tied for 10th place in the EPL but has played one or more games that all but one team below it in what shapes up to be a tight relegation race.

Kean took over as manager in December following the surprise firing of Sam Allardyce.

WINTER TRANSFER MARKET:
From USA to Abroad
Edson Buddle (Los Angeles Galaxy to FC Ingolstadt, Germany D2)
Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA to Tigres, Mexico D1)
Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake to Nottingham Forest, England D2)
Diego Restrepo (Univ. of Virginia to America de Cali, Colombia D1)

From Abroad to USA
Kenny Cooper (1860 Munich, Germany D2 to Portland Timbers)
Hunter Freeman (IK Start, Norway D1 to Houston Dynamo)

Abroad
Brian Ackley (Auckland City, New Zealand D1 to FK Pribram, Czech Republic, D1)
David Antunez (FC Inter, Finland D1 to Tecos Estudiantes, Mexico D1)
*Edgar Castillo (San Luis, Mexico D1 on loan to Puebla, Mexico D1)
Clarence Goodson (IK Start, Norway D1 to Broendby IF, Denmark D1)
Joshua Gatt (SCR Altach, Austria D2 to Molde SK, Norway D1)
Brad Guzan (Aston Villa, England D1 on loan to Hull City, England, D2)
Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04, Germany D1 on loan to Blackburn Rovers, England D1)
Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan, Netherlands D1 on loan to FC Twente, D1)
**Marco Antonio Vidal (Pachuca, Mexico D1 on loan to Club Leon, Mexico, D2)

Free Agents
Jeremiah White (released by GKS Belchatow, Poland D1)
Josh Wicks (signed by Mariehamn, Finland D1)

*Club America, Mexico D1 owns his contract.
**Indios, Mexico D2 owns his contract.