Man Utd confirm Phil Jones to return after 629 days out following Raphael Varane injury

Manchester United have confirmed Phil Jones is fit to return this weekend at Leicester should he be selected by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. By the time kick-off at the King Power Stadium comes around, it will have been 629 days since his last outing when he featured in United’s 6-0 thrashing of Tranmere in January 2020.

A lot has changed since then including the Red Devils’ centre-back options with Jones now way down the pecking order.

Yet the defender could still earn the chance to feature as part of Solskjaer’s squad after signing a new four-year deal back in 2019.

Raphael Varane is certain to miss the clash with Leicester after being ruled out for several weeks through injury and United are light on the ground at centre-back.

Harry Maguire is also a potential doubt for the meeting with the Foxes despite revealing his condition is improving.

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Jones has faced a long road back following surgery on his knee but he has already featured for the club’s Under-23 side.

The 29-year-old recently completed the full 90 minutes against both Arsenal and Brighton respectively.

It’s understood Solskjaer has already informed Jones he is part of his plans this season, although game time will be limited.

Speaking to United’s club website, Jones is finally looking to put his injury troubles in his rear-view mirror.

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“I’ve been through hell and back over the last couple of years,” Jones he said last month.

“I struggled with my knee a little bit and (there) came a point after lockdown where I thought enough was enough.

“I kept myself in great shape over lockdown and came back. But I remember just training out here [at Carrington] and going into the doc and saying ‘enough’s enough’.

“Unfortunately, there was going to be time off the pitch, which I knew was going to be difficult for me, but it was something that I had to do.

“Thankfully, I see the light at the end of the tunnel now and I’ve been back training, played a few behind-closed-doors games and I’m feeling really good at the minute.”