{"id":1216638,"date":"2021-08-24T18:06:57","date_gmt":"2021-08-24T17:06:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1216638"},"modified":"2021-09-10T18:22:56","modified_gmt":"2021-09-10T17:22:56","slug":"phil-jones-rio-ferdinand-man-utd","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/phil-jones-rio-ferdinand-man-utd\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Phil Jones should\u2019ve left a long time ago\u2019 – Rio Ferdinand urges former team-mate to leave Man Utd"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rio Ferdinand believes injury-ravaged former team-mate Phil Jones should have left Manchester United before Chris Smalling and has now urged him to “find a new club”.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jones, 29, has endured an injury-ridden career at Old Trafford since joining from Blackburn Rovers in 2011, last featuring in a senior game for the club in January 2020.<\/p>\n

The 27-capped England international took to the turf last week in a behind-closed doors friendly against Burnley, his first appearance in 19 months.<\/p>\n\n

He has also appeared extensively in pre-season under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and will no doubt be eyeing up a return to the Norwegian’s matchday squad, with two years remaining on the versatile defender’s current contract.<\/p>\n

It has been a huge fall from grace for a player who, at one time, encouraged Sir Alex Ferguson to suggest he could go on to become the club’s “<\/a>best ever player”<\/a>, not to mention prompting the esteemed Glaswegian to sign him for \u00a316.5m a decade ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite his recent return to fitness, Jones has been pushed further down the pecking order following the lucrative acquisition of Real Madrid superstar Raphael Varane, with Ferdinand now pleading for his former team-mate to leave the club and free up a space for an academy player.<\/p>\n

“He\u2019s taking up a youth team player\u2019s position in that squad right now,” Ferdinand told his FIVE YouTube channel<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

“He\u2019s had too many injuries\u2026 I was in the same team as Phil Jones, he came from Blackburn as a young kid, everyone was saying he was going to be this great player.<\/p>\n

“Huge potential but injuries have absolutely annihilated his career and then confidence issues at certain times as well.<\/p>\n

“He\u2019s never been able to fully establish himself in the team. Whether it\u2019s injuries, lack of form, lack of confidence.<\/p>\n

“I think he should\u2019ve gone ages ago. He should\u2019ve gone before Chris Smalling went. Find a new club and play some football.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

READ MORE:<\/span> \u201cWhy can\u2019t they keep it up?\u201d \u2013 Man Utd\u2019s midfield misery on show as Southampton hold Red Devils to 1-1 draw<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

“I am baffled at how he\u2019s still been given a new deal at the club given his past few years at the club. It just doesn\u2019t make sense to me how you get a new deal.<\/p>\n

“I remember back in the day you\u2019d have to do some absolute graft to get a new deal. You\u2019d have to be putting in performances, you\u2019d have to be a vital member of the team. Phil Jones isn\u2019t that.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rio Ferdinand believes injury-ravaged former team-mate Phil Jones should have left Manchester United before Chris Smalling and has now urged him to “find a new club”. Jones, 29, has endured an injury-ridden career at Old Trafford since joining from Blackburn Rovers in 2011, last featuring in a senior game for the club in January 2020….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":1216640,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"","_yoast_wpseo_title":"Man Utd news: Rio Ferdinand urges Phil Jones to leave Old Trafford and \u201cfind a new club\u201d | Squawka","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Rio Ferdinand believes Phil Jones should have left Manchester United before Chris Smalling and has urged him to now \"find a new club\".","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"news-category":[],"class_list":["post-1216638","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":{"external_featured_image_url":"","hide_featured_image_pattern":false},"yoast_head":"\nMan Utd news: Rio Ferdinand urges Phil Jones to leave Old Trafford and \u201cfind a new club\u201d | Squawka<\/title>\n<meta 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