Phil Jones has been ranked as the top central defender in all of Europe, according to CIES Football Observatory.
Jones, who has been hampered by an ankle injury, tops a list with some impressive young talent. Atletico Madrid’s Jose Gimenez and Real Madrid’s Raphael Varene follow Jones on the list.
Jones attributes his improvement as a defender to Louis Van Gaal’s emphasis on discipline.
“Every player is well aware of the philosophy of the manager and the way he wants his teams to play. I think that’s why we’ve been hitting such good form lately. Every player now understands their role in the team. It’s more stable.”
The young English player is considered to be one of Van Gaal’s favourites at Old Trafford.
Many have been surprised by the rankings. Jones has had issues with injuries for much of his young career and has not been a key component to this year’s team due to all of his injuries.
However, the kid has promise. He is an exceptionally talented defender with good size. He could turn out to be a staple at Old Trafford for years to come under Van Gaal.