Manchester United defender Phil Jones has hit back at criticism from Paul Scholes and is set to sign a new contract at Manchester United.
Phil Jones was deployed as a right back for England’s friendly against Ireland in Dublin which prompted the Manchester United legend Paul Scholes, who works as a pundit, to comment that Jones was not ‘clever enough’ to be played as a center back.
Scholes told ITV: “I just think at centreback, when he is playing against clever forwards, he tends to get dragged out of position quite easily.”
“At rightback you still need to be clever positionally but I think he can use his pace and power and he hasn’t got a bad delivery either.”
“When he first came to Manchester United he was a right-back, he played right-back all the time. He has got strength and power and he can get up and down the pitch. I just think at centre half he is not quite clever enough to do it.”
However, Phil Jones, who joined United from Blackburn Rovers for A?17m in 2011, hit back to the criticism by saying:
“People comment all the time about individuals.”
“Gone are the days when I used to take notice of what people say and react to it. It doesn’t bother me one little bit anymore.”
“I am at the stage now where I can’t be considered as a young player anymore. I have got to step up, keep playing well and do what I do best.”
Manchester United have been actively seeking a centerback with reports linking the English giants with a 36.4 million pound move for Valencia’s Argentine defender Nicholas Otamendi.
The club are also locked into a battle with Chelsea FC for Atletico Madrid defender Joao Miranda . who is available on a cut price deal with only a year left to his contract in the Spanish capital.
Phil Jones has played as a centreback, a rightback and a defensive midfielder during his career but Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has preferred to select the Englishman at the heart of the defense and is in the market to find a suitable partner to him following a less than impressive season by other United defenders.