[MyOnlySolskjaer]

Full Name: Jonathan Grant Evans
Date of birth: Jan 3, 1988
Nationality: Northern Ireland

Height: 188cm
Position: Defender - Centre-Back
Foot: Both
Squad Number: #35
Joined: Jul 18, 2023
Contract expires: Jun 30, 2024
Outfitter: Nike​

 

[Paul778]

hysterical. 14 day contract

 

[dcrompton]

At least he’s not the worst centre half we’ve signed from Leicester

 

[always_hoping]

14 years ago Jonny got marriage guidance from Alex Ferguson at a packed press conference and his wife to be was sitting among the journalists. Think there are 10 years married now with a handful of children. Welcome back Jonny.

 

[Pickle85]

On his return he instantly becomes the player at the club that's won the most trophies while playing for Manchester United, doesn't he?

Edit: it's early and that's terribly phrased, but I THINK the meaning is clear?!

 

[Bondi77]

Lindelof upgrade.

 

[Trequarista10]

Is the contract required in order for him to play/train/travel in the US tour? (For insurance or maybe visa reasons or something?). Seems unnecessary otherwise.

 

[van Persie]

Five years gone and he still wear the red so well. Confidence. Can tell he's still got that United mentality from the past. I'd like to keep him

 

[Big Ben Foster]

At least he’s not the worst centre half we’ve signed from Leicester

Funny! Technically he signed on a free though, not from Leicester.

 

[top1whoisman]

Is the contract required in order for him to play/train/travel in the US tour? (For insurance or maybe visa reasons or something?). Seems unnecessary otherwise.

Yeah, that’s exactly the reason.

 

[K Stand Knut]

Can anyone explain the benefit of this short-term deal to me??

And I mean a benefit for the club?

It feels like the only beneficiary is Evans who might secure a move on the back of it.

EDIT - I don’t see him travelling to the US as an overall benefit

 

[OsloRed]

Can anyone explain the benefit of this short-term deal to me??

And I mean a benefit for the club?

It feels like the only beneficiary is Evans who might secure a move on the back of it.

EDIT - I don’t see him travelling to the US as an overall benefit

This is what Erik had to say:

"I know him for a long time, so I know his place was here, in Manchester,” the boss said.

“He came to train with us, to work on his fitness, and when I said: yeah, not all the players are in - internationals are out, still having their break, so I thought it was a good idea to help each other out. Jonny can work on his fitness and he can help us out.

“The level, we know he is a really experienced player but also a very good person, a big personality, and I think he has big authority as well. He will help the young players especially. It is a benefit for both sides."

 

[rimaldo]

Can anyone explain the benefit of this short-term deal to me??

And I mean a benefit for the club?

It feels like the only beneficiary is Evans who might secure a move on the back of it.

EDIT - I don’t see him travelling to the US as an overall benefit

we’re gutting a lot of the team. the players that have been here a while aren’t necessarily the type of players to grab a dressing room or help place and keep standards. he’s a great pro, know what it takes to win and loves united. he’s a great example for the youngsters on tour and someone for them to bounce questions off when they’re bored in the hotels/on the planes. it’s a simple win-win and i’d be surprised if we didn’t give him a deal for the year.

 

[RedDevil@84]

Wow. We got a performance thread for someone who has not signed for the season.

 

[K Stand Knut]

This is what Erik had to say:

we’re gutting a lot of the team. the players that have been here a while aren’t necessarily the type of players to grab a dressing room or help place and keep standards. he’s a great pro, know what it takes to win and loves united. he’s a great example for the youngsters on tour and someone for them to bounce questions off when they’re bored in the hotels/on the planes. it’s a simple win-win and i’d be surprised if we didn’t give him a deal for the year.

These make sense BUT could we not have just given him a deal now?? I’d not Really lose any sleep over that.

This just feels like a deal to get him fit and for him to feck off somewhere else.

Feels like a step back!

 

[OsloRed]

These make sense BUT could we not have just given him a deal now?? I’d not Really lose any sleep over that.

This just feels like a deal to get him fit and for him to feck off somewhere else.

Feels like a step back!

A step back from what? I don't see how us helping out an academy graduate is anything other than positive. Doesn't hurt anyone but it might actually help some people. Not to mention that, due to injuries, the youth players who are a part of pre-season is actually short of centre backs, so he fills a vacancy for a couple of weeks.

 

[Jericho]

Can anyone explain the benefit of this short-term deal to me??

And I mean a benefit for the club?

It feels like the only beneficiary is Evans who might secure a move on the back of it.

EDIT - I don’t see him travelling to the US as an overall benefit

If he plays well enough and fits in we sign him up for a longer deal. If he doesn't then we part ways. What's the issue here?

 

[K Stand Knut]

If he plays well enough and fits in we sign him up for a longer deal. If he doesn't then we part ways. What's the issue here?

Really??

He’s a 30+ year old player who isn’t good enough for United. That’s one issue.

As I’ve already stated, I suspect that he will sign for another club. That’s the main issue.

I just don’t see the point or benefit, to United, of giving a player who isn’t good enough for United, a 2-week contract

 

[Gandalf]

These make sense BUT could we not have just given him a deal now?? I’d not Really lose any sleep over that.

This just feels like a deal to get him fit and for him to feck off somewhere else.

Feels like a step back!

I don't really get that. I can only see this as a positive even if he does go elsewhere and Erik has outlined the reasons why.

In all probability he would prefer to sign with a PL club as a starter rather than settle into a backup role and this gives him the opportunity to do that and it is not harming us to help him get fit and put him in the window. A small act of consideration like this for a former player is the kind of thing that can help to sell the club to prospective new signings, showing that we are not just about using players and tossing them aside.

If he does not get an offer he fancies he is already around the squad and integrated if we do end up agreeing some sort of backup/mentoring role once the season starts. It is really tough to see how anyone is losing here.

 

[golden_blunder]

Maybe he ends up another Tom Huddlestone type

 

[Jericho]

Really??

He’s a 30+ year old player who isn’t good enough for United. That’s one issue.

As I’ve already stated, I suspect that he will sign for another club. That’s the main issue.

I just don’t see the point or benefit, to United, of giving a player who isn’t good enough for United, a 2-week contract

Presumably Ten Hag does see a benefit in it. There's no reason to think he'll be signed up if he offers nothing.

 

[golden_blunder]

He could teach Lindelof how to come out of his shell. Amirite @Vidyoyo

 

[christinaa]

He played fine today.
Very calm on the ball and oozed security to the youngsters around him.

 

[altodevil]

I don't really get that. I can only see this as a positive even if he does go elsewhere and Erik has outlined the reasons why.

In all probability he would prefer to sign with a PL club as a starter rather than settle into a backup role and this gives him the opportunity to do that and it is not harming us to help him get fit and put him in the window. A small act of consideration like this for a former player is the kind of thing that can help to sell the club to prospective new signings, showing that we are not just about using players and tossing them aside.

If he does not get an offer he fancies he is already around the squad and integrated if we do end up agreeing some sort of backup/mentoring role once the season starts. It is really tough to see how anyone is losing here.

Spot on

 

[Raven]

Another benefit to this is that it shows we treat our academy graduates with respect, which can only be a positive amongst the young lads coming through.

 

[Vidyoyo]

He could teach Lindelof how to come out of his shell. Amirite @Vidyoyo

Dunno why you've tagged me in such a ridiculous post.

 

[golden_blunder]

Dunno why you've tagged me in such a ridiculous post.

You’re absolutely right

There’s no teaching him

 

[Reiver]

I don't really get that. I can only see this as a positive even if he does go elsewhere and Erik has outlined the reasons why.

In all probability he would prefer to sign with a PL club as a starter rather than settle into a backup role and this gives him the opportunity to do that and it is not harming us to help him get fit and put him in the window. A small act of consideration like this for a former player is the kind of thing that can help to sell the club to prospective new signings, showing that we are not just about using players and tossing them aside.

If he does not get an offer he fancies he is already around the squad and integrated if we do end up agreeing some sort of backup/mentoring role once the season starts. It is really tough to see how anyone is losing here.

Agree with all this

He looked fine today, but of course it was a friendly. Apart from the goal, he got the biggest cheers of the day.

 

[Tincanalley]

He played fine today.
Very calm on the ball and oozed security to the youngsters around him.

Good. Didn’t see it; only the goal, which was tasty

 

[thedano]

I don’t understand how anyone can see a negative here. He’s not stopping anyone getting a chance. In fact he’s probably helping coach them. By all accounts a good guy. Won’t be on much money doesn’t want to play very often, will probably end up on the coaching team. Give him a deal.

 

[Zed 101]

Depending on our transfer budget I would be more than happy to see Evans given a season, it is a no brainer, he managed 13 games last season for Leicester and did not look bad in any that I saw, if he can fill in 15 + games this season, covering for Varane etc. and playing the last 20 mins of games why not for a freebie we could do a lot worse, and as other posters have said he can only be a good influence from the SAF era, great for the kids, brings experience and can work on coaching.

Right now would I rather see Evans or Maguire on the team sheet, easy Evans, and it is at least level for Lindelof

 

[Jam]

Really don’t mind Evans been given a season as emergency cover, and part-time coach.

Let’s be real Shaw will continue to be LCB cover, and Lindelof RCB cover. I don’t mind Evans as third choice for either.

You’re not gonna get a much better emergency cover CB. Won’t affect the budget, experienced head on his shoulders.

If the idea is he’d be 2nd choice behind Martinez or Varane then I would be against it.

 

[Skills]

Didn't look out of place with Wrexham players and our under 23s.

 

[Berbaclass]

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[arnoldS]

Don't have any problem with that but surely this means someone or a few are leaving?

 

[Heardy]

Solid squad option to have. Likely a good seasoned player to have in the dressing room too.

No complaints.

 

[bond19821982]

Home grown !

Remember we could potentially lose Maguire, Hendo, McT, Williams, Elanga (gone) in one window.

 

[Red 142]

He looks so so bad.

If Utd end up playing him against anything better than Championship level opposition they'll be in trouble.

 

[NoPace]

He looks so so bad.

If Utd end up playing him against anything better than Championship level opposition they'll be in trouble.

From the little we've seen in pre-season it would be fine to have him come on for 10 minutes if we're defending a lead and sitting deep like Maguire did fairly well last year (it was the starts that were problematic, not the 10 minutes of heading the ball, if I recall correctly) but for a 90 minute game I'd probably still have Casemiro ahead of him even if it means McTominay is playing at DM, which is fairly damning. Evans can still play, but he can't defend in open space at all, players just run by him.

 

[Alemar]

When does his short term contract end? The question is whether he is available for selection for Wolves?