OneFootball
Padraig Whelan·17 August 2024
In partnership with
Yahoo sportsOneFootball
Padraig Whelan·17 August 2024
Ex-Manchester United defender Phil Jones has announced that he has retired from competitive football at the age of 32 following an injury-ravaged spell.
The versatile centre-back was without a club for over a year upon the expiry of his contract at Old Trafford in the summer of 2023.
He returned to Carrington last September in a coaching capacity with the club’s youth teams – a path he is now eager to pursue full time rather than return to playing.
Jones joined United in 2011 from Blackburn at a time when he was regarded as one of English football’s top prospects.
During his 12 years with the Red Devils, made 229 appearances in all competitions during that time, winning five trophies, including a Premier League title in 2013 but he suffered horrifically with injury problems.
In the final four seasons of his spell at Old Trafford, Jones took to the field just 13 times.
From 2011 to 2018, he also won 27 caps for England.