Arsenal are reportedly interested in Manchester United defender Phil Jones.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho
Manchester United have reportedly snubbed an enquiry from Arsenal for Phil Jones because Jose Mourinho refuses to do business with Arsene Wenger, according to the Evening Standard.
The Gunners have been in the market for a central defender all summer long, but their need has become more urgent following injuries to club captain Per Mertesacker and Gabriel.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger
The Standard claims that Wenger switched his attention to Jones, 24, after being quoted astronomical prices for Jonny Evans and Shkodran Mustafi.
The newspaper go on to suggest that despite Mourinho being under pressure to trim his bloated squad, and Jones already far down the Old Trafford pecking order, the Portuguese boss is refusing to do business with Wenger and will not sanction the player’s sale to a bitter rival.
Manchester United’s Phil Jones
Jones arrived at Old Trafford in the summer of 2011 for a fee in the region of £16.5 million, and has gone on to make 140 appearances for United, although he has seen his first-team role diminish since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013.
Arsenal shipped four goals in their opening Premier League fixture against Liverpool, and Wenger’s mad dash for defensive reinforcements looks like it will go down to the wire on deadline day.
Manchester United’s Phil Jones in action
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