Manchester United have officially announced that Phil Jones will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of next month.
As reported by the Manchester Evening News earlier this week, Jones is one of five players who are set to be released at the end of the campaign. He has been hampered by injury issues in recent seasons, restricting him to just two starts in three years.
The centre-back, who joined the club from Blackburn Rovers in 2011, has not trained all season and was last visible in a training session at Carrington in May last year. He last played for the Reds on May 2 2022, stepping off the bench in a 3-0 win over Brentford at Old Trafford.
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"It's been very difficult, the last couple of years," Jones told club media. "There's no denying that. There is no hiding away from that.
"My family have been absolutely instrumental in keeping me on the straight and narrow and keeping me focused, to try to get fit and try to play more. And, you know, I've missed playing football. I missed it.
"You grow up playing football and all you want to do is play football. It's all I've known, from such a young age, is to do what you love doing for a living. I've been fortunate enough to do that, albeit not as much as I would have liked.
"I've worked tirelessly hard. I literally left no stone unturned. I tried to get back as quick as I could, every time I was out in the last couple of years.
"I think the highlight for me would have to be the Wolves game [his return from injury last season], when I came back. That was just a moment that I'll never forget. It gives me goosebumps now, thinking about it. I mean I worked so, so hard to get to that stage of fitness.
"That was a huge, huge moment in my career and the fans, that day, were incredible. The love that they showed me for that game, the passion that they showed, was sensational. And I can't thank them enough for that. They've been a constant support throughout my time here."
In total, Jones made 229 appearances for United. The club said that the defender is now 'taking some time' before deciding on his next chapter in his career.
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