Jonny Evans sends clear message to Man Utd over Old Trafford future

Jonny Evans returned to Manchester United this season on a short-term deal and the 36-year-old has now spoken out about his Old Trafford future in a new interview

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Jonny Evans has opened up about his Manchester United future, with the veteran defender admitting it "wouldn't be a very difficult conversation" if they asked him to stay.

Evans returned to Old Trafford on a short-term deal last summer after leaving Leicester, having initially just trained with the squad for fitness reasons after being sidelined with a calf problem for much of his final year with the Foxes.

However, an injury crisis prompted United to sign the 36-year-old and he has gone on to make 29 appearances across all competitions this season. And Evans would be willing to stay on for another year if the club asked him to.

"I'm in a similar position to last year because going into the off-season — I don't know what is happening next year," Evans told the Athletic when asked about his future. "I feel really relaxed and that I don't need any answers at this moment in time.

"I don't feel like I need to ask the question either but I'm sure if the club wanted me to stay on, then it wouldn't be a very difficult conversation for either myself or the club. I don't want to force the question with my United future.

"I'll be at the internationals in the summer with Northern Ireland against Spain in Mallorca. My debut was against Spain at home (in September 2006) and then we played Spain in Gran Canaria (in November 2007, a 1-0 defeat).

"I was suspended and always gutted that I missed that one. So now we're going to a different Spanish island — and most of Northern Ireland plans to go, too."

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Evans also admitted he considered retiring from football when he left Leicester, adding: "Yes, I had (thought about retirement). I'd done a lot of travelling. I had always based my family in Cheshire, even when I was travelling up and down to West Brom for three years and then five years at Leicester.

"The travelling wasn't good for my body. At the time, I was able to cope but looking back, it was becoming more difficult. That's when I called Fletch (United's technical director and Evans' former teammate Darren Fletcher).

"United is my team near where we live, the one I've supported all my life. Why not? My intention was to train with the reserves, see what came up and be ready for a club when they did."

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