Fabrizio Romano: Manchester United to keep hold of Phil Jones for the rest of the season
According to transfer guru, Fabrizio Romano on Twitter, Manchester United have decided to keep hold of Phil Jones for the remainder of this season. The centre-back had the opportunity to leave Old Trafford in the January transfer window but he passed on the chance leading to the club’s current stance.
Jones had interest from Bordeaux late in the winter transfer window. However, he was not entertained by the idea of engaging in a relegation battle in Ligue 1, which prompted him to reject two offers on deadline day. Moreover, there were claims that he had enquiries from Trabzonspor for a potential move.
Romano has strongly rejected these speculations by stating that there were no approaches from the Turkish club. He further added that there were no negotiations regarding a transfer which essentially puts an end to all speculations. It will be interesting to see whether the Englishman will have a bigger role to play in the remainder of the season.
Doesn’t hurt
Now that the 29-year-old will stay with us for the remainder of the season, it would not hurt to utilise his services in an appropriate situation. After all, he proved his worth with his performance during the 1-0 loss against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League.
We have five centre-backs in total in our squad, which is more than enough to overcome the fixtures that lie ahead of us this term. Ralf Rangnick may encounter a situation where he would be forced to use the entire depth of the options available to him. The Man United defender could be useful in such a case to overcome the upcoming congested schedule.
Eric Bailly has struggled with injuries, while Raphael Varane has not been at his best while also battling injuries. Harry Maguire was on the receiving end of a lot of criticism throughout this season whereas Victor Lindelof has not been a commanding presence who can lead from the back.
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There is always the risk of injuries, suspensions or even another Covid outbreak within the team, which calls for strength in depth. The England international could get more chances, especially in the FA Cup, to make his case to the boss.
While expecting him to become a regular would be a stretch, Jones can make a case for himself by performing when handed an opportunity. After all, as we saw against Wolves, he remains a dependable option, to say the least.
