Jones Transitions from Player to Mentor at Manchester United Academy

Phil Jones is embarking on a new chapter in his football career, transitioning from a decade-long tenure at Old Trafford to a pivotal role within the Manchester United academy. Since retiring in 2024, the former England international has been actively involved with the Under-18s and Under-21s squads while completing his UEFA Pro Licence. This unique perspective allows Jones to closely observe the development of the club’s next generation of talent and the strategic advancements occurring under senior management.

At 33 years old, Jones’s insights are invaluable, as he remains intricately connected to the daily operations of the academy. His journey from teammate to mentor has enabled him to witness the seamless integration of new signings alongside the promising rise of academy prospects. While injuries often hampered his playing days, Jones’s tactical expertise is now being harnessed to cultivate the future stars of the club. His recent public engagements reveal a man thoroughly engaged with the “patterns of play and systems” of contemporary football, making his assessments of the league’s top performers particularly fascinating to United’s supporters.

In a lighthearted moment, Jones adopted a “he-who-must-not-be-named” stance when asked about the best forward currently in the Premier League. Despite the remarkable achievements of Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, his loyalty to United prevented him from offering any praise to the Norwegian striker. With a playful grin, Jones remarked that he had simply “forgotten” the name of the prolific forward leading the charge across the city.

“He plays for Man City, but I can’t say his name. I forgot… I forgot his name,” Jones joked. While the forward remained unacknowledged, he readily applauded players from other clubs. He designated Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers as the standout midfielder and Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes as the top defender, but his most surprising choice came in the goalkeeping category.

Jones opted for United’s Lammens as the best goalkeeper “at the minute,” sidestepping more established names. Since joining from Royal Antwerp in September 2025, the Belgian has been a revelation, providing the stability and shot-stopping prowess needed to reinforce United’s defense.

Perhaps the most noteworthy highlight from Jones’s interview was his endorsement of the teenage prodigy Ayden Heaven. When asked to identify the most underrated player in the Premier League, Jones didn’t reference a veteran or an undiscovered talent elsewhere; rather, he pointed directly to a player he has been mentoring at Carrington.

“Ayden Heaven for us, I think. Top, top player,” Jones asserted with unwavering conviction. The 19-year-old left-sided centre-back has rapidly ascended, having already made 11 Premier League appearances in the 2025-26 season. Notably, he started in the 2-0 victory over Manchester City in January, quickly becoming a familiar name among Old Trafford supporters. Jones’s “top, top player” label serves as elite-level validation for a defender who appears poised to follow in the footsteps of club legends.

Concluding his selections, Jones remained loyal to his former teammate and current club captain, Bruno Fernandes, naming the Portuguese international as his favorite player in the division. For Jones, the combination of Fernandes’s leadership alongside the emergence of talents like Heaven and Lammens points to an optimistic future for a club he still regards as home.