Phil Jones: David Moyes eyes reunion with Man Utd defender at West Ham

3 minute read 13/4/2021 | 09:25am

David Sullivan must block David Moyes from reuniting with Manchester United defender Phil Jones at West Ham this summer.

What’s the word?

According to Eurosport, Moyes is keeping tabs on Jones’ situation at Old Trafford with a view to signing the centre-back at the end of the season.

The Hammers boss is monitoring the defensive market knowing his London Stadium natives will require additional options next term, should they fulfil a surprise challenge for European qualification.

Yes, he can offer depth

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No, he isn’t good enough

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Manchester United are expected to try and sell Jones in the summer, having been without the former England international for more than a year.

Jones has suffered with a long-standing knee injury since January 2020 and could miss the entirety of the current season after a string of setbacks.

That is apparently not an issue for Moyes though, as the West Ham head coach is seemingly willing to take a chance on the 29-year-old next term.

The Hammers will have to negotiate a fee with Manchester United for the transfer of Jones, who they valued at £12m amid interest from Newcastle last year and have under contract through to 2024.

Should West Ham sign Man Utd’s Jones?

West Ham have benefited more than most will have imagined through the loan signing of Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard, but the likelihood of Moyes enjoying a similar success story with Jones has to be questioned.

Lingard had featured three times this term under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – each in the cups – before moving to the London Stadium, where he has since been involved in more Premier League goals (eight scored, three assisted) than any player since debuting on February 3rd.

What allowed Lingard to hit the ground running in claret and blue was that he arrived in a strong physical state, having never let his lack of game time impact his commitment to training.

It was also Solskjaer’s system rather than Lingard’s talent that saw the England dynamo fall to the fringes at Old Trafford, while Jones may not have any games under his belt for almost 18-months by the time the next transfer window opens.

Jones was hardly operating at his best before his injury, either, having played just eight times last season, while Martin Keown claimed “he looks like he’s on roller-skates” following a 3-1 defeat to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup.

Moyes knows what Jones is capable of having fielded the defender 36 times across all competitions during his year at the Red Devils helm, but it is unlikely that the Scot can rediscover his best form.

Sullivan would instead be expected to eventually regret sanctioning Moyes reuniting with the £75,000-per-week enforcer – who Carlton Palmer claims is “big, strong, athletic” – if West Ham offer Jones a chance to hit the reset button this summer.

AND in other news, West Ham eye 23-year-old talent once backed to become “world-class”…