'Bring him in' - Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag explains shock decision to bring veteran defender Jonny Evans back to Old Trafford

The Northern Ireland international centre-half is a product of the Red Devils’ famed academy system and took in 198 appearances for the club – winning three Premier League titles and the Champions League – before leaving for West Brom in 2015.

Evans’ career has now gone full circle, with the 35-year-old initially returning to Old Trafford over the summer to train with the Red Devils’ Under-23 squad on the back of becoming a free agent. Having severed ties with Leicester following their relegation in 2022-23, Evans wanted to keep fit while searching for a new club. He eventually impressed Ten Hag enough to earn a one-year contract in Manchester.

Ten Hag has said of that call, which allowed United to add more experience to their defensive department: “When he was in the summer, I heard he was in. He was to train with the U23, I said ‘Fletch, come bring him in with the first team, maybe he can help us’. I already saw in the pre-season the schedule, the problems in the numbers in the squad and then, yeah, we decided to sign him because I think he can be really contributing in the squad and you have seen how massively important he can be.”

Evans has made two appearances for United since rejoining their ranks, and delivered an impressive assist during his latest outing as a pinpoint pass clipped over the top of the Burnley backline allowed Bruno Fernandes to score a match-winning volley at Turf Moor – earning the Red Devils their third Premier League victory of the season.