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Update on Manchester United star Phil Jones

Erik ten Hag admits Phil Jones has not completed one training session since he took over as Manchester United manager in May.

Jones, 30, is expected to be released by United when his contract expires in the summer as he has started only two games in the last three years.

The centre-back has been seldom seen at United’s Carrington training complex, where he was last spotted waiting for a meeting in the reception area in October.

Jones recovered from a chronic knee injury to be available for much of last season but he appears destined to not play for United in what is bound to be his final year at the club.

“No, it’s not been taken until now,” Ten Hag said of Jones’s contract situation. “The decision about that is for the summer, but for the whole season, he’s injured.

“I can’t say (if Jones will play again this season). What I can say is that he’s not available for training since the first day of training this season so I think there’s not an opportunity for you to recover quickly and be available quickly.”

United have the option of an additional year on Jones’s contract but are highly unlikely to exercise it due to his injury record.

Jones missed the entirety of the 2020-21 season and made his first appearance in almost two years in the 1-0 home defeat to Wolves in January 2020.

The former England international’s only other start was in the 4-0 thrashing at Liverpool in April when he was substituted at half-time.

Since Jones signed a four-and-a-half-year contract in February 2019, he has started 16 times and completed 90 minutes on 12 occasions.

-manchestereveningnews

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