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United defender Phil Jones admits he had considered leaving the club,
but reveals manager Jose Mourinho convinced him to stay.
Jones was seen as a center back with huge potential when Sir Alex Ferguson signed him from Blackburn Rovers, then managed by Sam Allardyce, but fell out of favour at the Red Devils under David Moyes and then Louis van Gaal.
"For whatever reason he [Van Gaal] thought I needed to be fitter," he told the Manchester Evening News. "I had no problem with that, I just played the games.
"I did what I could do to get back in the team and unfortunately it didn't really work out under him.
"No question there were thoughts about my future. It was in the back of my mind. If you are not playing games, that speaks volumes."
However, he is back to being a regular feature in the first team under Mourinho and says he feels the Portuguese mentor, along with Allardyce and Ferguson, are the only managers to have really understood his style of play.
"I feel there have been only three managers who have every truly believed in me and understood me as a player," he added.
"That's not being critical of other managers but the only three were Sam Allardyce, Sir Alex Ferguson [who signed him from United] and now Jose Mourinho.
"They have all given me belief and confidence. I am not one who needs to be patted on the back every single day and told I am brilliant. Some players need that, I don't. But those three certainly gave me confidence."
Jones will be looking to be involved when United face Watford at Old Trafford on Saturday in an English Premiership clash after missing the recent 3-0 victory over Leicester City on Saturday.
Kick off is at 17:00.
