Jones joins Roque Santa Cruz as a January arrival at Rovers

Blackburn have signed midfielder Jermaine Jones on a six-month loan deal from Bundesliga club Schalke 04.

The 29-year-old United States international has joined striker Roque Santa Cruz as a January transfer window arrival at Ewood Park.

"He's a fantastic signing for us," Blackburn boss Steve Kean told the club's website.

"He's got a fantastic engine and he can go box-to-box. He's a genuine all-round midfield player."

Kean added: "Anybody who knows him as a player, he's a natural ball winner, he's a very good passer as well."

German-born Jones started out his career at Eintracht Frankfurt and returned to the club after a spell with Bayer Leverkusen did not work out.

606: DEBATE Overall, very good player box-to-box...the main problem is he is injury prone CBG

He again left Eintracht when he joined Schalke 04 in July 2007 and this move was more successful until a recent fall-out with coach Felix Magath.

Jones, who missed all of last season with a shin injury, has not featured for the club since a 5-0 loss against Kaiserslautern last November and has been forced to train with the reserves.

He played for Germany at Under-21 level but, with his chances of graduating to the senior side appearing to be limited, Jones decided to play for the US team for which he is qualified through his father's nationality.

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