Manchester United

Jose Mourinho pays tribute to Phil Jones

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 28 August 2017

Phil Jones has all of the attributes to become one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League, providing that he stays free from injury, claims Jose Mourinho.

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has said that Phil Jones has all of the attributes to become one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League, providing that he stays free from injury.

The 25-year-old has been with United for the last six years, making 171 appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils.

Jones only started 28 Premier League matches between August 2015 and May 2017, however, after struggling with a number of injuries.

The Englishman has been fixture in his team's strong start to the new Premier League campaign, but Mourinho has claimed that the former Blackburn Rovers youngster is carrying a slight ankle problem.

"He's potentially a very good player. He's still young. He's still in a learning age but for years and years and years he was injury-prone," Mourinho told reporters.

"He has a problem now. He's complaining about an ankle problem so he's the kind of player where we need to have him always in our hands with a lot of care from the medical department, from the fitness coach, from my assistants, in the gym, working always on prevention, on recovery.

"If we manage to have him safe and protected from injuries, I think potentially he's everything I like in a central defender."

Jones will now link up with the England squad ahead of their 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Slovakia.