Jonny Evans publicly backs Erik ten Hag to stay next season | OneFootball

Manchester United’s veteran defender Jonny Evans has backed Erik ten Hag to stay at Old Trafford.

The Northern Irishman was a shock summer signing on a free transfer and he has surprised everyone in football, playing 30 times in all competitions this season and helping to hold together an injury ravaged defensive lineup at times.

The FA Cup triumph means that the 36 year old has now won every trophy there is to win at Manchester United.

The defender did not start the final with first choice pair Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane making a rare start together but he did come on for the final 17 minutes of action to help see out the game.

Evans waxed lyrical over his under-fire manager Erik ten Hag and claimed that he wanted him to stay at the club when asked whether the Dutchman would stay.

“I hope so,” he said. “He’s been amazing for me this season, bringing me back in, showing a lot of belief in me and playing me as much as he has.”

The defender also praised the manager’s performance over the last month which has seen three consecutive victories against Newcastle United, Brighton and Hove Albion and Manchester City.

“I’ve only got good things to say about him and I think over the last month or so he’s shown incredible technical flexibility to be able to sit off counter attack, a style he doesn’t see himself coaching, but he’s done it and over the last month or so we’ve put in some much better performances.”

“He’s been amazing for me and I can only thank him for that. I have a great relationship with him and I hope he stays. I came back in the summer and he put his trust me, which is all you want from your manager.”

Evans was a lot more guarded about his own future and claimed, “we’ll talk over the next couple of weeks, see what the club say.” It was thought that Evans would be offered a new deal earlier in the season but more recent reports seem to suggest that he may part ways with the club.

It has also been rumoured that he might join the coaching staff and with Tom Huddlestone’s departure, there may be a player/coach position available in the under 21s.

Despite winning the FA Cup back in 2021 with Leicester, it clearly meant that little bit more to the boyhood United fan and he stated, “it’s difficult to get to a final, this was my first FA Cup final with United. When I left the last time I thought that chance was gone. But getting to an FA Cup final with Leicester and to do it again is incredible.”

“The further on in your career you get, you cherish it a lot more. Enjoyed that out there today, coming on and seeing out the game and the celebrations at the end.”

Finally, the Northern Ireland international lavished praise on United’s two goalscoring heroes, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.

“They were both outstanding today and over the course of the season. The both of them I have to say, their work rate. I always think with young lads, it’s always been a part of the history of this club, bringing in young lads from the academy, sometimes they repay you and they have done today.”

Evans will turn his attention to international duty where he is part of Northern Ireland’s squad that will take on Spain and Andorra at the start of next month, before taking a well earned summer holiday.

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