According to a report in the British tabloid The
Sun, Jonny Evans is close to earning a new five-year contract
with English giants Manchester United.
The 21-year-old, 6ft 2in centre-back has played a key role at times
during the Red Devils' run of 13 successive matches without
conceding a goal.
Apparently, the 12-times capped Northern Ireland international, who
has over three years left on a £10,000-a-week deal at present, will
be given a new five-year contract worth £40,000-a-week.
The Belfast-born defender has played 18 games for United this
season but he came close to joining Sunderland last summer
following two successful loan spells with the Mackems, until Sir
Alex Ferguson told him he had a big future at Old Trafford.
Ferguson is quoted in The Sun as revealing, "I said to
him, ‘Think about three or four years ahead, where would you want
to be? In the Manchester United first team or the Sunderland first
team?'
"I told him that he would be a Manchester United first-team player
because his potential was so good. I told him he would eventually
take over from Rio Ferdinand.
"Rio might play until he is 36 but there will be a place for Evans.
He, [Nemanja] Vidic and Rio would give you three centre-backs as
good as you will ever get."
That news came as a delight to Evans, who admitted, "I am a big
United fan and have been all my life. "My dad hasn’t missed a home
game for five years. He wouldn’t even miss a United match to watch
me play at Sunderland.
"It has always been a dream to play at Manchester United. But I
will always be grateful to Sunderland for the experience."