Jonny Evans has signed a short-term contract with Manchester United, allowing him to play in pre-season.
The Northern Ireland international defender, a United youth product who was transferred by Louis van Gaal eight years ago, has impressed manager Erik ten Hag during pre-season training with the club.
Evans is currently a free agent after his contract with Leicester was terminated when the club was demoted to the Championship. The seasoned defender will continue to practice and play for United while looking for a new team.
The defender came through the Red Devils’ academy before joining West Brom in 2015. After three years with the Baggies, Evans moved to Leicester, where he helped the Foxes finish fifth in back-to-back seasons while also winning the FA Cup.
Evans, 35, appeared in 198 first-team games for the Red Devils over eight seasons, scoring seven goals. During his time at Old Trafford, he won three Premier League titles and was part of a team that won 11 trophies.
The veteran central defender remains a mainstay of the Northern Ireland international team, having been capped 102 times across a 17-year career. He was captain for Leicester during his time at the club, but was one of a number of senior players to leave the Foxes this summer upon the expiration of their contracts.
A statement from the United website read: “The Academy graduate (Evans) had been training with the Under-21s whilst considering his options, following his departure from Leicester City at the end of last season.
“As part of the Academy training programme, he has also taken part in a number of first-team sessions and impressed Erik ten Hag and the coaching staff.”
The statement continued: “Evans, who has been capped 102 times by Northern Ireland, will travel to Edinburgh as part of the group to face Lyon on Wednesday. Jonny will then join up with the Academy group that will travel to San Diego, while the first-team squad are in New York.”
