Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed that he is "looking forward" to including defender Phil Jones following a lengthy layoff.

The former Blackburn Rovers player has sat on the sidelines after picking up a back injury in pre-season training and was then forced to undergo knee surgery, but the 20-year-old will start against Galatasaray in the Champions League this evening.

"It's a big day for Phil Jones because he has been out all season," the Manchester Evening News quotes Ferguson as saying. "He has done enough training to make his fitness is okay and I am looking forward to bringing him back.

"He has had different types of injuries. He is young and he is still to develop physically because he is only 20 years of age, so he has plenty of time."

Jones moved to Old Trafford last year for a reported £16m.