147/5000 Mannight: Jonny Evans has been a coup for Manchester United, but he will say goodbye to Old Trafford [jiayu]


According to the Manchester Evening News on March 25, Jonny Evans' second journey at Manchester United is coming to an end, and he is likely to retire at the end of this season, saying goodbye to a 20-year professional football career.

​ Later, Evans admitted that he had not expected to play a major role, but the team was suffering from injuries and he made 30 appearances in all competitions, including 17 starts.

Although it was a challenging season for United, Evans was outstanding. He described the match against Burnley in September 2023, his 200th game for the club, as one of the "best nights" of his life. "I enjoyed every minute of it," Evans told TNT Sports. "You get a feeling before the game, I can't wait, I'm full of excitement. I was so excited when I got here on the bus."

"That was my 200th game for Manchester United and I never thought I would reach that number. It was one of the best nights of my life. When I got the first call, I didn't think I was going to sign. When you reach a certain age, you start thinking about winding down your career.​ Then I hope my body can hold up. I never thought I'd be a starter. I was told my role was to provide competition and that's what I did. Then a few injuries came along and I got a chance to start."

And even though the 37-year-old has missed some games through injury, he has played in most of them and proved to be an excellent substitute option. Raphael Varane and Willy Cambowalla have also left, and the turmoil at the back is all the more reason to give Evans a new contract for the 2024/25 season. Evans has played in every Premier League game this season up to November. His last appearance was against Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup in December and he has been absent since. Evans is likely to retire at the end of the season, ending a career that has spanned 20 years.