Manchester United have not improved their defensive line this summer, but reports suggest they have found a cheaper way to add more depth to their backline.
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Manchester United Close to Agreeing Jonny Evans Contract
What Are United Ready to Offer Evans?
The Telegraph’s James Ducker claims that the Red Devils are now close to re-signing defender Jonny Evans on a permanent basis, with the two parties on the verge of agreeing a one-year contract for him.
This comes after United allowed the Northern Ireland centre-back to train with the first-team squad during pre-season and then tied him down to a short-term contract as he tried to seek the services of another club. The report adds that Erik ten Hag was personally impressed with Evans performances in training.
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Ducker states that the Premier League giants and the 35-year-old have been in talks over a deal until the end of the 2023/24 campaign, and a resolution to this is likely to be resolved in the upcoming days. This comes after Ten Hag confirmed before the loss to Tottenham Hotspur that the club are talking to the veteran defender about a deal.
How Does Evans Fit In at United?
The 35-year-old will be one of the oldest members of the Red Devils squad if he can end up agreeing on a one-year deal and mark his (permanent) return to Old Trafford after he left them in 2015. Evans made 198 appearances for United in his spell from 2005-2015, winning the Premier League and UEFA Champions League titles during that time. He would then play for the likes of West Bromwich Albion and Leicester City, spending five years with the Foxes before leaving them this summer.
The Northern Irishman has played over 500 club games in his career and will seemingly be considered as a cover option for the Red Devils. Ducker adds that the 35-year-old is expected to be way down in the pecking order behind regular starters Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez and alternatives Victor Lindelof and Luke Shaw.
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Evans arrival could mean danger for Harry Maguire, who is already the fifth-choice centre-back in the squad and is reported to have rejected a move to West Ham United this summer. Evans, who was hailed as “fantastic” by ex-teammate Wayne Rooney earlier this year, might be ready to accept the squad player role at Old Trafford, and this deal could also be a hint that the Red Devils are not going to sign a new, younger centre-back this summer.
Image Credit: David Dixon on Wikimedia, CC BY SA 2.0
