Manchester United defender Jonny Evans has admitted he likely would have retired from football if he hadn’t signed a contract extension with the club.
On July 12, M.U confirmed Jonny Evansh had signed a new one-year deal, after returning to his first professional club in 2023 following the expiry of his contract with Arsenal trang cá cược bóng đá.
The 36-year-old stated he had no doubt he would eventually sign the new contract.
However, after spending eight years commuting to the Midlands from his home in the north-west—first with West Brom, then with Leicester—Evans was not interested in switching clubs again.
“The fine details took a bit longer than expected, but I knew I wasn’t going anywhere else,” he said. “It was either stay here or probably retire.
“I’m glad another season became available and the club wanted me to stay. I had a great time last season and I want to continue that.”
When he joined the team, he only signed a contract as a reserve player, however last season, he was able to play more than 30 times because Erik ten Hag’s squad suffered too many injuries.
He also added another FA Cup winner’s medal to his collection after substituting for Lisandro Martinez in the final 17 minutes of the Wembley victory over Manchester City in May.
Evans acknowledges he will likely find himself in a similar position again. The injuries to striker Rasmus Hojlund and 18-year-old defender Leny Yoro in the 2-1 pre-season loss to Arsenal in Los Angeles on Saturday are concerning for the upcoming Premier League season, starting on August 16.
“You don’t want any injuries, especially in pre-season. This is one of the top disadvantages that I need to stay away from” said Evans.
“Muscle injuries are never good, and Rasmus suggested it might be his hamstring. I’m not sure about Leny yet. Hopefully, it’s not too serious.”
Evans played in the second half against Arsenal, and with Lisandro Martinez still on his summer break after winning Copa America with Argentina and Victor Lindelof sidelined due to a minor injury, the veteran Northern Ireland star is expected to play a significant role in Wednesday’s match against La Liga side Real Betis in San Diego.
No stranger to injuries himself, Evans is confident his body can withstand another 10-month domestic campaign.
“Going into the upcoming season, I have a very good feeling with the ball” he said. “I don’t feel like I’ve dropped off much and actually feel I’ve come back with a spring in my step.
“I just want to ensure I get my fitness. Last year, I ended up playing 30 games, so maintaining fitness was easy.
“But I know if I’m not playing for a while, I have to stay fit because if I come in for matches, I need to be ready.
