I was at Man Utd for years – new signings led to fractious relationships in downward spiral

Phil Jones has revealed how some of David Moyes' signings as Manchester United manager adversely affected relationships within the team.

Recalling his time under Sir Alex Ferguson's successor, Jones noted the squad's scepticism began to show when questions were raised about new additions to the team. Concerns were raised when Moyes' sole signing in his first summer transfer window was Marouane Fellaini for £27.5million, though the Belgian went on to prove himself, according to Jones.

The retired defender said during a recent interview on the High Performance podcast (via the Daily Express): "I think when the lads maybe questioned the signings we made. I think that was sort of the lads basically saying, 'That's not where we're at.' Felly come in and do you know what, Felly was brilliant.

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"He played every game under [Jose] Mourinho, and you don't play in Mourinho's team unless you're a good player, you just don't. Felly was a top player, used his abilities well and at the time, it was probably what we needed, we needed something different.

"But obviously players would question signings, and you could start seeing fractious relationships around the dressing room. I've seen it before - it's just a downwards spiral from there, it just doesn't happen."

Jones opened up about the challenges faced by the United squad, which was grappling with a shift away from their accustomed winning ways. He believes setting aside personal egos was crucial for overcoming this period of difficulty.

He also reflected on the importance of