Phil Jones can ‘see the light at the end of the tunnel’ after an injury-plagued 18 months left him contemplating retirement.

The Rovers Academy graduate hasn’t played for Manchester United’s first-team since January 2020, but has got minutes under his belt in two Under-23s fixtures this month.

Jones has opened up on his struggles during interviews with The Sunday Times and Manchester United official podcast, the 29-year-old revealing the lengths he has gone to in a bid to get back fully fit.

The defender has clocked up a decade of service for United since his switch from Rovers in 2011, but an injury-plagued time has restricted him to 224 appearances.

He played 40 times for Rovers when bursting onto the scene after graduating through the Brockhall ranks, and has said the damage to the lateral meniscus of his right knee that has kept him out for so long was something he first suffered with while at Rovers.

Jones has been named in Manchester United’s squad submitted to the Premier League, his last outing in a 2-0 home defeat to Burnley in January 2020 his 200th in the competition.

Jones said: "Look, I’m private, so maybe people don’t understand me, but that’s the total opposite to how I am. I’ve done my absolute utmost.

"From tablets, to my diet, to setting up my house so that every time I get back from training I’m sitting in recovery boots and have my ice machine ready. Nobody can say, ‘You didn’t do enough.’

“Obviously, I’ve been through hell and back over the last couple of years.

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