According to Goal.com, 32-year-old Jansen is close to joining Major League Soccer. He will sign with the Portland Timbers as a free agent after leaving Antwerp.
Jansen left Antwerp this summer and is therefore eligible to join on a free transfer. Reports indicate the Dutch striker will not occupy a designated player spot for Portland Timbers. His arrival stems from striker Felipe Mora's move to Mexican side Atlético San Luis.
For Jansen, this would be a return to North America. He played for Monterrey in Mexico from 2019 to 2022, scoring 24 goals in three seasons and winning the CONCACAF Champions League title with the team in 2021.
Last season, as Antwerp captain, Jansen scored 13 goals and provided 7 assists in 40 official matches, totaling 3,579 minutes of playing time.
Jansen had a breakout season at AZ Alkmaar. In the 2015/16 season, he became the Eredivisie's top scorer with 27 league goals. Based on this performance, he transferred to Tottenham Hotspur for approximately $25 million, which was the biggest transfer of his career to date.
This striker also made 22 appearances for the Netherlands national team, scoring 7 goals. He was also selected for the Netherlands' squad for the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
At the Portland Timbers, Jansen will begin a new project under newly appointed head coach Marty Sifuentes. Jansen is the American team's first major signing this summer, and the club is expected to continue strengthening the squad during the transfer window.
The former AZ Alkmaar striker will compete for a place with 21-year-old Venezuelan international Kevin Kelsey, who has already scored 8 goals in the MLS this season.
Portland is currently ranked 10th in the Western Conference, and with 17 games remaining in the league, they are only 2 points away from a playoff spot.
