Let us take a trip down memory lane all the way back to 2015, when Louis Van Gaal was the Manchester United manager and he has made the call to put Jonny Evans up for sale.
This was considered to be a terrible decision by Man United's fan base as it was described as harsh to let the former academy graduate leave the club.
8 years later Evans has returned to Old Trafford on a short term deal for preseason.
Now at 35 years of age, the Northern Ireland international is past his prime years, but he was still able to impress Erik Ten Hag with his performance against Lyon in Man United's recent friendly.
With Harry Maguire's future in discussion and The Red Devils possibly needing a fourth center-half, Evans could be the man for the position.
The question you may have in mind is why would Ten Hag want to sign a 35 year old player with not much of a future ahead?
Well let us take a look at what Evans offers and why the Dutch manager may want to offer him a permanent contract.
Who is Jonny Evans?
On 3 January 1988, Evans was born in the Northern Irish capital of Belfast.
He found his passion for football at a young age, as he joined the Man United yout setup at around the age of 10.
After the center-half eventually graduated from the Red Devils academy his breakthrough into the first team was the next step in his career.
He went on to make 198 appearances for the Man United first team, winning 3 Premier League trophies and of course being part of the 2007/08 team that won the Champions League in Moscow.
Following his departure from Old Trafford, Evans enjoyed a successful stint at West Brom before joining Leicester in 2018, where he won an FA Cup and became a fan favourite at the foxes, and even captaining the side on numerous occasions.
Now Evans has left the King Power Stadium after the expiration of his contract and he finds himself back where it all began.
Why Should Man United Consider Offering Evans a Permanent Contract?
The short answer for this question is experience and squad depth but we will discuss both points in further detail.
After a career that has nearly spanned 2 decades at the top level of football, Evans brings a vast amount of experience and leadership to the team, whether that is on the pitch or in the dressing room.
He is a born winner with an elite mentality, and these are the sort of players that Ten Hag will need for his squad in order to take the next step and challenge for silverware.
This does not mean he has to be involved in every match for Man United, as the next point comes into play.
With Harry Maguire's future being in doubt and Phil Jones' exit, Man United are left with only 3 center-back options if Maguire is to leave the club (without including Luke Shaw who has filled in to the role at times).
This is simply not enough squad depth as they will be competing in 4 different competitions next season, so more options will be needed to be able to step in and perform when required to do so.
Evans is known to be a consistent performer and a reliable defender who will always put in a shift when called upon, so he is the perfect profile for Ten Hag to bring in for depth in the defensive department.
He will also be returning as a club legend who is adored by the Man United fan base.
Yes Evans is past his prime, but a permanent move would certainly make sense if it is to take place.
