Search Icon

Manchester United celebrate Phil Jones transfer triumph but Blackburn claim to have secured inflated fee

Manchester United claimed victory in their transfer wrangle with Blackburn over England Under-21 defender Phil Jones on Monday, despite the Ewood Park manager Steve Kean’s insistence that the champions could pay as much as £20.5 million for him.

Manchester United Phil Jones
Rising star: Phil Jones has starred for England's Under-21s Credit: Photo: ACTION IMAGES

Blackburn are adamant that United were forced to increase their original offer of £16.5 million after the club’s owners, the Venky’s poultry group, sought legal advice to prevent the Old Trafford side signing the player for the value of a release clause inserted into his contract earlier this year.

A statement on the club’s website confirmed that the fee surpassed the £17.5 million received from Manchester City for Roque Santa Cruz in 2009, describing the Jones deal as a “potential club record”.

However, Kean revealed that when, and if, a variety of performance-related clauses are met Blackburn could stand to earn more than £20 million.

“With all the bits and pieces, all the games he will play it will go above £20 million,” the Scot said. “It is a very big fee. But do not let that disguise the fact that we wanted to keep him here. We gave it a real good fight and made a fantastic offer.

“Both myself and the owners spoke to him at great length.

"We offered him the biggest contract in the history of Blackburn to stay here. It was a staggering offer for a 19 year-old but Phil wanted to play Champions League football.

“I think United have signed a future captain of England. He will be an England regular very soon.”

Sources at United insist, though, that Jones did not cost any more than the £16.5 million offered prior to Venky’s objection, as well as the late offers from both Liverpool and Arsenal that were made in an attempt to take advantage of the confusion over the status of his move to Old Trafford.

That confusion has now been solved with United announcing on their website that the player, who passed a medical last Wednesday before joining up with England’s Under-21 squad playing in the European Championship in Denmark, has signed a five-year deal.

Jones expressed his delight at finally becoming a United player, describing the chance to join Sir Alex Ferguson’s side as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” on Twitter.

“I’d just like to start off by saying that I’ve loved my time at Blackburn and I will always be a huge fan,” he wrote.

“But this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I am looking forward to a new challenge. Thank you for all your kind messages.”