Phil Jones’ decade-long stay at Manchester United could be drawing to a close.

The imminent arrival of France international Raphael Varane from Real Madrid will further strengthen United’s central defensive ranks, and put Jones further down the pecking order at Old Trafford.

The Rovers Academy graduate last played for United in January 2020, a 2-0 home defeat to Burnley, which was one of eight appearances that season across four separate competitions.

Despite that, he still has two years left to run on a contract in excess of £100,000 a week which has made striking a deal with potential suitors difficult.

With clubs unable to reach those demands, Jones has remained in the wilderness, but he could get the opportunity to move on this summer with reports that United are willing to let him go on a free transfer in order to try and facilitate a move.

Newcastle United, Everton, West Ham United and Southampton are among the clubs to have been linked with a move as Jones hopes to get his career back on track.

His time at United has seen him clock up 200 Premier League appearances, featuring 22 times in the Champions League and winning the Premier League, EFL Cup, Europa League as well as the Charity shield twice.

He has also managed 27 caps for England along the way, the last of those being the World Cup third-placed play-off defeat to Belgium in 2018.

Jones made his breakthrough at Rovers, and was tipped for stardom, after an impressive Premier League debut against Chelsea in March 2010. He went on to play a further 39 times for Rovers before United swooped in during the summer of 2011 to sign him.

Upon his departure, Rovers described Jones’ sale as a club record. There was a £16.5m release clause in his contract, but that wouldn’t top the sale of Damien Duff to Chelsea in 2003, which meant Rovers included the £4m worth of add-ons in that statement, given how likely it felt at the time they would be triggered, taking the value to £20.5m.

At the time of United signing Jones, they were reigning Premier League champions, and having won four of the previous five league titles, while international honours seemed inevitable for Jones.

The add-ons which looked set bank Rovers further millions along the way included £2m for any Premier League title win, as United did in 2013, but that wasn’t forthcoming as it relied upon Jones featuring in half of their matches.   A series of injuries in 2012/13 restricted Jones to only 17 appearances.

There was also talk of a £2m clause related to appearances for England, but only for competitive internationals. Although Jones has won 27 caps, 17 have been in friendlies, the rest made up of three World Cup outings, two World Cup qualifiers and five European Championships qualifiers.

Hopes of triggering either of those, or a sell-on clause, have looked unlikely for some time, but would be confirmed should Jones move on a free this summer, but would allow him to get his career back on track.