New England Revolution sign Xavier Kouassi as Designated Player

The New England Revolution announced Monday that the club has signed a Designated Player in former FC Sion captain and midfielder Xavier Kouassi.

The 26-year-old will not join the Revolution right away, however; he will be available June 30 following the end of his contract at FC Sion. Exact terms of the deal were not disclosed.

(Courtesy: @NERevolution)

"As captain and leader of his current club we feel we've acquired a player in Xavier who is in the prime of his career," Revolution head coach Jay Heaps said in a statement. "We look forward to his arrival."

Kouassi has one appearance for the Ivory Coast national team and has logged plenty of playing time in the Swiss Super League, captaining both FC Sion and Servette FC before it; he has four assists in 82 appearances in all competitions for Sion.

He joins a Revolution team that has been in negotiations with a player in a similar playing position in Jermaine Jones. The U.S. international was let go by the club at the end of the 2015 season, and the signing of Kouassi addresses a need in the middle of the park, which might just be the final nail in the coffin for Jones' potential return to Gillette Stadium.