Man United Outcast Set To Leave For Free In The Summer After Ten Hag’s Recent Admission

The defender has not trained since the first week of pre-season and has not figured in any of Ten Hag’s squads, nor did he fly out on tour.

He is not even mentioned in the club’s injury reports, nor is he registered in the Premier League or Europa League squads.

Jones does, however, continue to pick up a weekly wage, with his contract he signed in 2019 running until June 2023. United have an option to extend it by a further year – which seems very unlikely.

Erik ten Hag was asked whether Manchester United will release former title winner Phil Jones at the end of the season, which seems like an obvious course of action.

He responded, via the club website: “There has not been a decision take about that, for the summer. The whole season he has been injured. We also have an obligation to create spaces for potential transfers, so it’s not straightforward for now”

United would ideally loan or sell Jones of course, but this has not been possible in the past, and this window, there has not even been a rumour.

The former England defender is a forgotten man, a shame considering his career started so promisingly when Sir Alex Ferguson signed him in 2011 from Blackburn Rovers.

Asked whether Jones will play again this season, Ten Hag responded: “I can’t say. What I can say is he is not available for training and hasn’t been since the first day of training this season.

“Then, the opportunity that you recovery quickly also goes.”

United face Reading in the FA Cup this weekend, a side that when United played them in January 2019, Jones was in the starting line-up.

Ten Hag responded to the questions in a matter of fact manner, and also quite diplomatically. There is very little chance the defender plays for the club again.

His last appearance was at the end of last season when Ralf Rangnick started him against Liverpool and substituted him at half-time.