Jones aiming to be the new Rio

NEW RIO ... Centre-back Phil Jones

PHIL JONES admits he has spent his early years modelling his game on Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand.

Which is handy as the swashbuckling young centre-back will be seen as Ferdinand's long-term successor at Old Trafford.
Jones, 19, was at United's Carrington training ground yesterday having a medical after agreeing a £16.5million move from Blackburn.
He preferred the champions ahead of a transfer to Liverpool or Arsenal.
And now the defender - described as a 'Rolls-Royce of a player' by his Rovers boss Steve Kean - will quickly establish himself as a firm favourite with United fans.
While he is a centre-back by trade, Jones loves to get forward and spent the first half of the season playing in Blackburn's midfield under former manager Sam Allardyce.
He admitted: "I've always said I aspire to follow John Terry, Michael Dawson, Rio Ferdinand - I always watch what they do and try and learn from them.
"Defending isn't just about tackling and heading, it's also about getting the ball down and playing. Starting the attack from the back.
"Getting forward is a natural part of my game.
"I like to step in and take the strikers out of the game.
"If you have that in your game and can do it well, it's only going to benefit the team as well." Jones will not just be after Ferdinand's United shirt, he is already eyeing a place in the Three Lions senior team.
He flew out to Denmark last night to join up with his England Under-21 team-mates for the European Championships - but is setting his sights even higher.
A call-up from Fabio Capello would complete an amazing rise to the top for Jones, who started out with Rovers at the age of 11 and admits he still has to pinch himself over his staggering progress. He said: "I want to play for England's senior team.
"I'm going away this summer with the Under-21s and that's a massive honour for me to represent my country.
"But it's frightening when I think about it now. It's amazing where I've come from and where I am now.
"In the first few games I'd be looking around and seeing who I was up against but now I just like to see myself as a Premier League player.
"Moving abroad isn't something I've thought of.
"You never say never but I think England is the best league for me, for my style of play.
"Hopefully, I can stay in the Premier League for my whole career."
Rovers supporters still smile when they think about Jones' league debut in March last year against a Chelsea side on their way to the title.
The home side had made a lethargic start but two bone-crunching tackles from Jones on Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba in the space of 20 first-half seconds lifted the whole of Ewood Park.
And the fact they were on Lampard and Drogba showed this is a youngster who does not worry about reputations.
He recalled: "There were tackles to be made and the adrenalin was running through me because it was my first game.
"Those were the emotions running through my head to put those challenges in.
"That lifted the crowd and that's what the game needed at that point.
"John Terry said well done to me after the game and I got his shirt. That was nice because he didn't have to.
"These days I don't have the same amount of nerves I had in my early games.
"I still have some butterflies but that's healthy."
Walking into the Old Trafford dressing room might be something of an eye-opener for this down-to-earth lad from Chorley, Lancashire.
He still lives with his parents Mark and Helen and has the same friends who have been around him since he was a lad.
The chance to stay close to them is believed to have been key in his decision to shun interest from Arsenal.
Jones said: "To be honest, I think I'd be more than capable of looking after myself and being responsible. That wouldn't faze me at all.
"I'd have no problem moving anywhere but I'm happy at home, I don't see the need to rush into things.
"I still have the same mates I've always had.
"My mates pick up the paper on a Saturday morning and will say to me, 'Oh, you're in the paper again' - but it just goes in one ear and out the other.
"I just concentrate on my football. Compliments are nice and I appreciate it but I just focus on improving myself as a player."
Some feel Blackburn's alarming slump down the table was due to the sacking of Allardyce in mid-December.
You could also argue it coincided with the absence of Jones, who suffered a knee injury just before Christmas. He returned in late March and played a key part in helping Blackburn stay up, with just two defeats in his last eight games.
That turned out to be his parting gift to his boyhood club as he heads for the Theatre of Dreams in great shape.
Jones declared: "I feel good, I feel strong. I feel better than I did when I was playing well before the injury.
"And I've come back stronger and fitter than I ever was.
"I've supported Blackburn since I was a kid - when I was small enough for my dad to carry me in on his shoulders.
"I missed Rovers winning the Premiership, though, I think I was only about three at the time."
He might just get the chance to make up for it at Old Trafford.