Rio Ferdinand's comments labelled 'really poor' by former teammate Phil Jones

Jones hasn't featured for United since an FA Cup tie against Tranmere in January 2020, missing the entirety of last season through injury.

A long-term knee injury made Jones consider ending his career, after it took him out of action for almost two of the 10 years he's been at the club.

The former England international has recently regained his fitness though, and has played 90 minutes on two occasions for United's U23 side as he attempts a return to action.

Jones' former teammate Ferdinand hadn't been too flattering about the defender in recent weeks, claiming he was wasting space in the squad after signing a four-year contract extension in 2019.

"He's taking up a youth team player's position in that squad right now," Ferdinand said. "I think he should've gone ages ago. He should've gone before Chris Smalling went. Find a new club and play some football.

"I am baffled at how he's still been given a new deal at the club given his past few years at the club. It just doesn't make sense to me how you get a new deal."

Ferdinand later apologised for his comments after United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer leaped to Jones' defence, and the defender has since opened up on the hurtful comments.

"Listen, the respect I've got is enormous," Jones explained "I've shared a dressing room with Rio - great professional. Loved playing with him. Great lad, good humour. Learned so much off him.

"But what he said was poor. Really poor. I'm not into disputes, not into arguments, and if he didn't know, he didn't know."

After discussing Ferdinand's comments, Jones went on to talk about his past 20 months on the sidelines, and how bad things got.

"I've been through hell and back over the last couple of years," the 29-year-old said.

"I struggled with my knee a little bit and [there] came a point after lockdown where I thought enough was enough.

"I kept myself in great shape over lockdown and came back. But I remember just training out here and going into the doc and saying 'enough's enough'.

"I think as a footballer, as a person, as a human being, that's the lowest I probably ever felt in my life."

"You try and get a balance between football and family life but it was so difficult going home and trying to look after the kids. You're there, but you're not there, you're not present."

Jones is now fully on the comeback trail, but he's unlikely to get near the starting XI with captain Harry Maguire and £34million signing from Real Madrid, Raphael Varane, in the way.

The former Blackburn star remains positive though, with a move in the January transfer window the most likely outcome.

Jones said: "Unfortunately, there was going to be time off the pitch, which I knew was going to be difficult for me, but it was something that I had to do.

"Thankfully, I see the light at the end of the tunnel now and I've been back training, played a few behind-closed-doors games and I'm feeling really good at the minute.

"It's nice to get that balance back."