WAYNE ROONEY is considering handing Phil Jones the chance to join him at DC United.
Rooney officially took over as new boss of the MLS outfit earlier this week, and is already casting his eye around for potential recruits.
Wayne Rooney is ready to bring his old Man Utd team-mate Phil Jones to Washington with him to join DC United
Man Utd fringe centre-back Phil Jones is trying to rebuild his career aged 30 and might be offered the chance at Wayne Rooney’s DC United
And ex-Manchester United team-mate Jones is one of those on his radar, as he tries to haul the Washington side off the foot of the Eastern Conference.
Rooney was linked with a move for free agent Luis Suarez as soon as he arrived in the States, yet insisted he wanted players with a point to prove.
And few are hungrier to do so than former England star Jones, 30, who has suffered a nightmare time at Old Trafford over the past two years.
Rooney tried to take the centre-back to Derby on loan last season.
The Rams’ financial chaos ended any chance of that, while Jones wanted to prove he had a future at Old Trafford.
He did not go on United’s tour to the Far East and Australia, as he worked on his fitness ahead of the new season.
But new boss Erik ten Hag plans to sign Argentina centre-back Lisandro Martinez from old club Ajax, pushing Jones further down the pecking order.
And with the Red Devils keen to clear players out as Ten Hag rebuilds the squad, they would not stand in his way.
Rooney and Jones spent years together at Old Trafford but the defender’s United career has stalled
Jones still has a year left on his deal but United would let him go for no more than a nominal fee, to get his £100,000-a-week wages off the books.
Rooney could offer first-team football, which could be a tempting carrot to the man Sir Alex Ferguson once claimed could be United’s greatest ever signing.
Meanwhile, Donny van de Beek has been trying to convince Frenkie de Jong to join him at Old Trafford — despite his own miserable time at the club.
Midfielder De Jong is happy to stay at Barcelona and has flown to America on the club’s pre-season tour — but United are still pushing to seal a £63m deal.
And Van de Beek, who is close to De Jong after playing alongside him at Ajax and with Holland, has been attempting to tempt him to Manchester.
