Manchester United defender Phil Jones has emerged on the radar of several Serie A clubs following the success of Chris Smalling at AS Roma.

As per a report published by The Athletic and relayed by The Sun, Serie A has come up as the next possible destination for Manchester United outcast Phil Jones, who is likely to leave the club after nearly a decade of service.

Jones joined United in the summer of 2011 from Blackburn Rovers and was tipped to become the next best thing for the club and possibly their captain in the future. He was only a teenager at the time and was bought under the suggestion of Sir Alex Ferguson, who was impressed with his display in their 1-1 draw against Blackburn in the previous season.

The Englishman was expected to become a world class addition into the United roster but things have gone majorly south for him. Jones has constantly suffered from injuries that have pushed him out of the first-team. These injuries seem to have had a deeper impact on Jones who has never been able to translate his hype into performances on the pitch.

Heading out of Manchester United in the summer? (Photo by Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images)
Heading out? (Photo by Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images)

Victor Lindelof has been the only constant in the defence for United since his arrival in 2017 and was partnered with numerous players including Phil Jones. The Swede has continued in the heart of defence, but has now been partnered with new signing, now captain, Harry Maguire. Eric Bailly has been given the role of their deputy while Jones has spent most of the season on the sidelines.

Moreover, Manchester United have been reportedly trying to bring in a new centre-back that could either take over the position from Lindelof or serve as an able backup. This would most definitely push Jones out of the squad.

For the longest time, Jones partnered Chris Smalling on the pitch as United’s centre halves, infamously dubbed as the ‘chuckle brothers’ for their error prone ways. However, last year, Smalling departed United for AS Roma. He has found a starting spot in the team and has gone from strength to strength as one of the best players in his positions in the league.

Jones has made only two appearances for the Red Devils in the league this term, and will be gunning for a move to Italy after seeing his former colleague succeed there. He could turn to be a brilliant fit for Atalanta who prefer their defenders to be aggressive. Moreover, playing in a three-man backline will benefit for him as the other CBs will be able to cover for his errors.

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