Manchester United defender Phil Jones has reportedly emerged as a target for EFL Championship club Fulham late in the transfer window.
According to a report from 90min.com, Manchester United outcast Phil Jones could finally be offered an escape route from Old Trafford as EFL Championship outfit Fulham are keen on signing him before the transfer deadline day.
Jones has been with Manchester United since the summer of 2011, arriving from Blackburn Rovers. Tipped as a future captain by then-manager and club legend Sir Alex Ferguson, the 29-year-old has struggled to live up to the billing as injuries have ravaged his career with the 20-time English champions.
To date, Jones has featured 224 times for Manchester United, scoring six goals and setting up 10 more. However, the England international has not featured in over eighteen months due to fitness problems.
With Manchester United signing Raphael Varane already this summer, Jones has fallen further down the pecking order at the club, with little prospects of regular first-team football even though he has now returned to fitness. Now, he could be offered a way out of Old Trafford, with Fulham said to be keen on signing him up.
The report adds that apart from the London outfit, there are several other EFL Championship clubs who are keen on landing Jones. However, it is claimed that any move would only be a loan stint with Manchester United paying the major share of his wages.
There has been some interest from the Premier League as well, with Newcastle United and Watford keen, while West Ham had also been linked with the 27-time capped England international. However, the Hammers are unlikely to act on their interest in him, as they are on the verge of signing Kurt Zouma from Chelsea.
There have also been reports claiming that Manchester United may end up keeping Jones in the squad as the fifth-choice centre-back. However, a move away to a club where he can play regularly would serve the former Blackburn Rovers ace well as he looks to resurrect his career.
With less than a week left for the transfer window to close, it remains to be seen if Fulham or any other club make an attempt to sign Jones from Manchester United.
