Erik ten Hag has explained the thinking behind Manchester United making the shock decision to re-sign veteran defender Jonny Evans.
The Northern Ireland international centre-half is a product of the Red Devils’ famed academy system.
He took in 198 appearances for the club – winning three Premier League titles and the Champions League – before leaving for West Brom in 2015.
Evans’ career has now gone full circle, with the 35-year-old initially returning to Old Trafford over the summer to train with the Red Devils’ Under-23 squad on the back of becoming a free agent.
Having severed ties with Leicester following their relegation in 2022-23, Evans wanted to keep fit while searching for a new club.
He eventually impressed Ten Hag enough to earn a one-year contract in Manchester.
Erik ten Hag has said of that call, which allowed United to add more experience to their defensive department:
“When he was in the summer, I heard he was in.
“He was to train with the U23, I said ‘Fletch, come bring him in with the first team, maybe he can help us’.
“I already saw in the pre-season the schedule, the problems in the numbers in the squad and then, yeah, we decided to sign him because I think he can be really contributing in the squad and you have seen how massively important he can be.”
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Evans has made two appearances for United since rejoining their ranks.
He delivered an impressive assist during his latest outing as a pinpoint pass clipped over the top of the Burnley backline allowed Bruno Fernandes to score a match-winning volley at Turf Moor – earning the Red Devils their third Premier League victory of the season.
