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RSL cuts Alvin Jones ahead of 2021 MLS season
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T&T senior men’s football team utility player, Alvin Jones, 26, is on the lookout for a new club.

This after Jones, the younger sibling of Seattle Sounders midfielder Joevin Jones was one of several players released by US Major League Soccer’s Real Salt Lake FC on Monday.

The club website stated on Monday that Real Salt Lake in announcing several roster updates ahead of the 2021 season exercised the contract options on eight players from its 2020 roster.

With 14 other returning players under contract and three additional players already signed ahead of the 2021 season, the announcement gives RSL 25 players on its current roster.

The website stated that Real Salt Lake exercised the options of goalkeeper David Ochoa; defenders Justen Glad and Erik Holt; midfielders Everton Luiz and Justin Portillo; and forwards Maikel Chang, Douglas Martinez and Tate Schmitt.

Also, RSL announced that it has declined the contract options of defender Alvin Jones; midfielder Luis Arriaga; and forwards Giuseppe Rossi and Julian Vazquez while goalkeeper Andrew Putna and midfielders Kyle Beckerman and Luke Mulholland are out of a contract.

However, there is still hope that the younger Jones who only featured in one match all season for RSL can return to the club as it was stated that conversations about returning to the roster in 2021 are ongoing with several players.

The 2020 MLS Expansion Draft is scheduled for Tuesday, December 15 with the End-of-Year Waivers scheduled for Wednesday, December 16 at 11 am.

Free Agency is also beginning at that time. Additionally, the MLS Re-Entry Process begins with Stage 1 on Thursday, December 17, while Stage 2 of the Re-Entry Process is set to take place on Tuesday, December 22.

A full MLS list of players eligible for Free Agency, End-of-Year Waivers and the Re-Entry Process will be announced by the League at a later date.

The Carenage-born Jones, spent the 2019 season with OKC Energy FC in the United Soccer League Championship, making 21 appearances after moving from T&T's W Connection where he won two titles in six seasons and featured in the Concacaf Champions League.

He is best-known among MLS fans for scoring the game-winning goal for T&T to sink the USA men's national team 2018 Russia World Cup hopes.

While Jones heads out the RSL door, another T&T player will be hoping to make an impact next season at the club in 22-year-old defender Noah Powder.

Powder completed the last season in the United Soccer League Championship Division with Real Monarch, having played a key role in their title-winning 2019 campaign.

Before joining the Monarchs, Powder built a successful career in the USL Championship at New York Red Bulls II and in 2016, helped lift the side to the 2016 USL Championship title win as well.

In 2018, Powder contributed to making Orange County SC the Western Conference leaders, taking the California side to the Western Conference Final.

Internationally, Powder brings with him international experience having played for the T&T Under-17s and Under-20s, making a total of 13 appearances and notching four goals between the two.