In an emotional letter, Phil Jones expressed his gratitude to Manchester United fans for their unwavering support throughout his time at Old Trafford.
After 12 years with the club, it has been confirmed that Jones will depart at the end of the season as his contract expires and will not be renewed, making him a free agent.
Jones joined United from Blackburn Rovers in 2011 and experienced success early on, winning the Premier League in the 2012/13 season under the management of Sir Alex Ferguson.
However, his recent years have been plagued by recurring injuries, and he has spoken about the mental challenges of dealing with setbacks. While writing to the club, the centre-back said:
“It’s always tough to leave a club. I did so already with Blackburn Rovers, all those years ago aged only 19, but I could never imagine what was to follow.”
“My time at United has been nothing short of incredible. When I decided to leave Blackburn, I always wanted to prove myself further. I’d represented my boyhood club and lived a dream, but I was desperate to show everyone what I could do at the highest level.”
“To wear this shirt just once, to wear this badge and represent everyone associated with it, was an honour. I wish I could have played more.”
“I wish I could have given more to the many squads I played alongside. I will say, from the bottom of my heart, I did everything I could. I did everything the medical team asked of me.”
“The road can be rocky and throw you off track. It’s about getting up from setbacks and keeping going. This is a lesson I’ll push into my next challenges, for whatever lies ahead.”
This season, Jones has not made any appearances under the management of Erik ten Hag due to ongoing physical issues.
His last training session at Carrington was in May of the previous year, and he last played for United on May 2, 2022, when he came off the bench in a 3-0 victory against Premier League rivals Brentford at Old Trafford.
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Jones is one of five players who will be released by the club at the end of the season. His injury problems have severely limited his playing time, with only two starts in the past three years.
Having made a total of 229 appearances for United, Jones is now taking some time before deciding on the next chapter of his career.
