Why Manchester United left Phil Jones and Brandon Williams out of Europa League squad
Phil Jones's Man United contract is likely to be terminated next year after four Premier League starts in the last three seasons.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag cut Phil Jones and Brandon Williams from his Europa League squad due to their prolonged recovery timescales from injury.
The two defenders were excluded from United's 25-man squad and although Williams is a locally-trained player he no longer qualifies for Uefa's 'B list' as he was born before September 1 2001.
Jones, 30, has not trained with United since players returned for pre-season training on June 27 and Williams, 22, sustained an unspecified injury in early July that has prevented him from figuring under the new United manager.
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In finalising his squad, Ten Hag had to select two players from an injured quartet of Jones, Williams, Axel Tuanzebe and Facundo Pellistri. United sources expect Tuanzebe and Pellistri to return sooner than Jones and Williams.
Tuanzebe, 24, left United's pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia after one game due to a personal issue and has been out injured for the last two months.
Pellistri, 20, scored in United's opening pre-season win over Liverpool in Bangkok but sustained an ankle injury in the 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in Oslo on July 31.
Although Pellistri has been wearing a protective boot the right winger was named in Uruguay's squad for their friendlies with Iran and Canada later this month.
Tuanzebe, Jones, Williams and Pellistri were all available for transfer in the summer window and injuries prevented any of them from leaving permanently or on loan.
Since Jones was handed a four-year contract on February 8 2019, he has started 16 times for the club and been substituted at half-time in five of them.
Jones and Tuanzebe have entered the final year of their contracts and the former will almost certainly be released by United next year as he has started four Premier League games in the last three seasons.
Williams is contracted to United until 2024 and spent last season on loan at Norwich, who were relegated from the Premier League. Pellistri is under contract until 2025 but is yet to make his competitive debut for United nearly two years on from his £9million arrival.
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