Erik ten Hag keen to offer 35-year-old Jonny Evans a Man Utd contract extension - but Sir Jim Ratcliffe needs convincing

The Northern Ireland international was signed by the Red Devils after severing ties with Leicester City following their relegation in the 2022-23 season. Evans initially started training at Carrington but impressed the manager enough to earn a contract with his former club. He has gone from strength to strength in his second coming and has proven his worth not only on the pitch but also as a stabilizing force within the dressing room. Evans has often been preferred ahead of 2018 World Cup winner Raphael Varane, which highlights the trust that Ten Hag has in the veteran centre-half.

According to Daily Star, the Dutch tactician is set to recommend a one-year contract extension for Evans. The decision to extend Evans' contract is a significant one and could be a test of Ten Hag's influence in the upper echelons of United, especially with the club's new major stakeholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe now on board. Ten Hag asserted that Ratcliffe and INEOS are eager to collaborate with him and his statement will face the test of fire in the coming months, particularly regarding the future of Evans.

It has been mandated that United must consult INEOS' sporting think tank, led by Sir David Brailsford, for every major sporting decision including transfers and contracts as the Premier League works on ratifying the new investor into the fold following Ratcliffe's acquisition of a 25 percent stake in the club for a reported $1.3 billion.

United have reportedly decided not to extend Raphael Varane's contract, which could make Evans' extension more feasible. However, the defender must continue to perform consistently to win over Ratcliffe with games coming thick and fast in 2024. United will return to action on January 8 against Wigan Athletic in an FA Cup third-round tie followed by an encounter against Tottenham in the Premier League on January 14.