Arsenal, Liverpool to battle for Man Utd outcast

Arsenal and Liverpool will fight it out for the services of out-of-favour Manchester United defender Phil Jones. The England international is expected to be offloaded in the winter transfer window after Jose Mourinho got fed up with his injury concerns.

The 24-year-old had attracted interest from the likes of Arsenal and Stoke City over the summer, but the United hierarchy were adamant that they would keep hold of their player's services.

Since then, the centre-half has struggled to make a mark in the first-team with fitness issues combined with minor niggles denting his chances of earning any playing time.

According to The Sun, Mourinho will permit the sale of Jones in the New Year as he seeks to recoup the player's hefty wages which currently stand at £110,000-a-week.

It is added that the club will look to fill the void by recruiting a new centre-half preferably within the wage package offered to the injury-plagued Jones.

Jones has amassed over 140 appearances in all competitions for Manchester United since arriving from Blackburn Rovers in 2011.