Since returning to Manchester United, Jonny Evans has excelled, but things might have turned out quite differently for the defender, who was on the verge of joining Manchester City six years ago.
The defender from Northern Ireland, a former United youth product who was transferred by the team eight years ago when Louis van Gaal was still the manager, pleased Erik ten Hag during preseason training with the team before agreeing to a deal in the last week of August.
Evans, 35, is prized by Ten Hag because of the experience he provides and because he fits several criteria for what United wanted: a low-maintenance player who won’t complain about a reduced role, won’t put United’s finances at risk, and who is also at ease playing out from the back.
Evans was a standout at West Brom before joining Leicester, where his contract had expired at the end of the previous season. In Guardiola’s second summer as manager, City made an effort to recruit Evans from the Baggies but had a £25 million offer rejected.
In September 2017, Guardiola claimed, “My colleague Tony Pulis put a price that we couldn’t afford at the time. I don’t know about the upcoming summer or season, but he is now a West Brom player. We’ll make it. In the end, we sold players and wasted money.
Aymeric Laporte was acquired by City from Athletic Club Bilbao after that season in an eye-catching £57 million transaction. Any rumours of them going for the Northern Ireland international, who had continued to shine for the Baggies, were put to rest by that signing.
Guardiola said, “We decided to buy Laporte, we talked with him (Evans), and while we were close to a deal, we didn’t arrive at one. Laporte was younger, so we chose to spend more money after that. It wasn’t a poor choice because of the agency issue. In addition, the City manager said, “I don’t think we’ll go back in.”
Evans’ performance in the weekend victory at Burnley, which came either side of substitute outings against Arsenal and Crystal Palace, was praised by Rio Ferdinand, a former central defence partner of Evans at United.
After the game at Turf Moor, Ferdinand remarked on TNT Sports, “I thought Johnny Evans was brilliant at the back, marshalled his back line extremely well, showing his leadership qualities, and his experience. “He contributed to the goal and Bruno Fernandes’ moment as captain. That pushes them past the finish line.