According to reports, Phil Jones has earned a staggering £42.1 million in salary since joining Manchester United in 2011. However, the defender has not made an appearance this season due to yet another injury. Jones, who was once a stalwart in the United team, has been plagued by physical issues in recent seasons and has only been able to play 21 games in the last four years. Despite this, the Red Devils surprisingly handed him a new four-and-a-half year deal in February 2019, believed to be worth £110,000-a-week. With the contract set to expire at the end of this season, it is claimed that Jones has cost United £28.5 million since 2018.
Jones initially joined United from Blackburn in a £16 million deal back in 2011 and is said to have been earning £59k a week during his first four years at the club. He then signed a new £74k deal in 2015 before moving up to £110k three years later. Jones showed plenty of promise in his early Old Trafford years, helping them to Premier League glory in 2013 and being labelled a future England captain by Sir Alex Ferguson. However, frequent injuries began to hamper his progress, with Jones having reached more than 20 Premier League appearances in a season just once since the 2014-15 campaign.
In total, Jones has played 229 times for United, although he hasn’t featured at all this season. He made five appearances under Ralf Rangnick last term, having missed the entire 2020-21 campaign. Jones recently spoke to Sky Sports while attending Man United’s Carabao Cup Wembley triumph over Newcastle United. He admitted that it had been a long road and that he had faced physical and mental challenges. However, he also stated that he was a strong character who loved playing football and was doing everything he could to get back on the pitch. Jones thanked the club for their support and expressed his desire to return to playing football.
Jones’ situation highlights the risks associated with long-term contracts for injury-prone players. While United may have hoped that Jones would regain his form and fitness, it appears that his injury problems have only worsened over time. The club will now have to decide whether to offer him a new deal or let him go at the end of the season. Given his lack of playing time and high wages, it seems unlikely that United will extend his contract. However, Jones may still have a future in football if he can overcome his injury problems and find a new club willing to take a chance on him.
