Manchester United Football Club have had an excellent transfer window in terms of incoming players, with Jose Mourinho doing his utmost to bolster the playing squad and significantly strengthen the starting XI. With incomings, it’s only natural to see stars leave, and one man who could be on his way out is Phil Jones, with serious interest generated in him.
The English centre-back is attracting interest from current Premier League champions Leicester City, as well as other big-hitters like Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham. This is something to seriously consider for the man who hasn’t played a minute of football since January, as he once again, looks only a back-up choice for the current gaffer.
It is believed that Jose Mourinho isn’t keen on strengthening any of his Premier League rivals before the deadline passes, so at this point in time, any offer for the 24-year-old will be rejected by the Old Trafford hierarchy.
Although there is no fee quoted in the report, you would imagine Manchester United would want to make a profit on the £16.5 million they paid to get Jones as a teenager five years ago now, but even then, they probably wouldn’t be wholly convinced by the idea of selling such a talent to a rival.
For Manchester United fans, keeping Jones around certainly feels like the best option. On his day he is an outstanding centre-half, and let’s not forget his ability to perform extremely well in the holding midfielder role, as well as the right-back slot if needed.
He is the kind of defender that Jose Mourinho loves to work with – tough-tackling, quick, has great awareness and isn’t afraid to get stuck in and get himself hurt if required. Sadly, injuries have really stunted his development, but with a run of games in the side, there is no reason why he cannot get back to his brilliant best. He just needs that trust from his manager, and his new coach will certainly do just that.
If he does move, you would imagine Leicester will be the current favourites to bring him in, because Jose probably sees them as the least threatening for the title; as daft as that sounds as they are currently the holders.
Rating: Highly unlikely.
Jose Mourinho loves to work with those young defenders, and with United already looking rather thin in that area of the field, there is a slim chance the self-proclaimed Special One will let Phil Jones leave Old Trafford. Perhaps he may be interested if the offer is extremely substantial and from abroad rather than here in England.
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