Phil Jones’ Manchester United career finally appears to be reaching its overdue conclusion.
The centre-back made his Premier League debut for Blackburn Rovers ten years to this day, helping his side earn a crucial point against Chelsea.
At the time, Jones was dubbed ‘the new John Terry’ for his courage and indomitable nature at the back, and was even seen as a potential future England captain.
But since Sir Alex Ferguson brought him to Manchester United in 2011, he has not managed to live up to any expectations.
Jones has been plagued with injuries during his nine years in Manchester and a certain amount of sympathy has to go out to the player who often struggles to manage consecutive starts before picking up a knock.
But the decision to offer Jones a new four-year contract at the club last February bordered on scandalous and exposed the incompetence of Vice-Executive Chairman Ed Woodward in making football decisions.
How could the club offer a player such a lucrative new deal after he has failed to stay fit for one full season at United?
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Jones is now nowhere near Solskjaer’s first-team plans and has failed to even make match day squads for cup games where the Norwegian has rotated.
The 28-year-old has played just eight games in all competitions this season and is surely heading for the exit door this summer.
According to the Mirror, Newcastle manager is willing to take a gamble and sign the defender in the upcoming transfer window.
And former Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips thinks Newcastle could be the perfect destination for Jones.
“Definitely. His time at United is up but he has been a good servant for the club,” Phillips told Football Insider.
“A move to the north-east could be great. As I know myself it is a wonderful place to play football when things are going well. A move for the lad will be good for him. If he can stay in the Premier League – brilliant.
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“He is a wholehearted centre-half and is the sort of player Steve Bruce is looking for, he knows his capabilities and his limitations but when you talk about defending he is 100% committed all of the time. That could be a good one for Newcastle.
“At Newcastle, playing week in week out, you will see the best of Phil Jones.”
Jones has been handed lots of unduly criticism at United in recent years, but the truth is that he is not good enough and has to be moved on. And a move to Tyneside this summer could resurrect his career, if he manages to stay fit.
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