The number of clubs interested in signing Manchester United outcast Phil Jones is well into double figures.
That's according to a fresh report that links the forgotten man with a January move away.
The 29-year-old defender has not made a senior appearance for 22 months. That was way back in January 2020 during an FA Cup win against Tranmere Rovers.
But despite his long time in the shadows at Old Trafford, owing to constant injury struggles, The Sun claims that as many as THIRTEEN teams are eyeing up a move when the transfer window re-opens.
Two Premier League outfits - believed to be Watford and Newcastle - are said to be keen whilst the Championship's bottom side Derby County have also placed Jones on their radar. It is almost certain to be a loan move as opposed to a permanent transfer.
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Derby are of course bossed by Jones' ex-United colleague Wayne Rooney. The big stumbling block for the troubled Rams, who entered administration earlier this season, is likely to be Jones' wages.
That issue is also most likely to be a sticking point for other clubs outside the top flight.
Jones recently brought up ten years at Old Trafford, following his big money move from Blackburn in 2011, and his contract at United expires at the end of the 2022/23 season
After so much time on the sidelines Jones has become something of an easy target for many fans, especially online.
Speaking to the UTD podcast recently, he opened up about his decision to quit all forms of social media.
He said: “I stepped away from social media a long time ago, but it’s difficult because all your friends read it, your family read it and they support you, they want the best for you.
“They don’t want to see their mate, their husband, their dad getting slaughtered all over the papers or all over the media, so it’s tough because mentally I was going through a tough time and to read stuff as well.
“It’s difficult, but it’s something I’ve learned to deal with, especially over the time I’ve been at United and the more experience you get, the older you get, the better you learn to deal with those things.
“I suppose for young players coming into the game now, not just at Man United, but all over the world, it’s a very hostile, toxic place to come into and they’ve got to be able to deal with that mentally as well as physically.
“I look how the game’s developed over the last 10 years, and the way social media has developed and it’s difficult to stay away from it.
Jones recently played 45 minutes for the club's under-23s in a 3-0 win over his former side Blackburn.
He has featured in a senior matchday squad just once this term, when he was an unused sub for the EFL Cup defeat at home to West Ham in September.
