Former Leicester City Star Shares Thoughts About Retiring

According to Leicestershire Live, former Leicester City defender Jonny Evans has admitted that before making the shocking switch to Manchester United this summer.

The 35-year-old left the King Power Stadium at the conclusion of the previous campaign after they were demoted to the Championship and returned to Old Trafford after wowing manager Erik ten Hag in a number of preseason games.

The center-back, who joined from West Bromwich Albion in 2018, quickly established himself as a key member of the Foxes squad, starting in the FA Cup victory over Chelsea in 2021. At the start of last season, he was appointed club captain but, despite being given the option of a new contract, he chose to leave the team.

Everyone was surprised by Evans’ return to Old Trafford, and he was given a small part as a backup for other defenders Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire, and Victor Lindelof. The veteran started the Premier League games against Burnley and Brentford, nevertheless, as a result of the Red Devils’ current injury issue.

It’s been a remarkable comeback for the former Sunderland loanee, who has acknowledged that after injury issues limited him to just 13 Premier League matches last season, he considered quitting. The Northern Ireland international, via quotations from Leicestershire Live, stated;

“Last year, I went through a phase where I began to wonder if it was all about to end. Without a doubt, I did think those things.

“At the time, I was unable to recover from my injuries, and every time I returned, I was in tears. Numerous people have told me that I will never be close to finishing, but you have to show it to yourself, and I believe I have done that.

“Every time you finish a match, you tell yourself, ‘There’s another one, I can do it,’ and occasionally you just have to tell yourself that. I’m glad I was able to go through that process, and I feel wonderful right now.

On Saturday, Evans started Northern Ireland’s 3-0 victory over San Marino, earning his 104th cap.

Although Jonny Evans’ return to Manchester United was a major shock, Erik ten Hag has used him to good use. Although he was a player who could have contributed to Leicester’s success in the Championship this year—the Foxes have won 10 of their first 11 games—they aren’t lacking for their former captain.

Although he wouldn’t have been short of offers should his trial period at the 20-time English champions prove to be unsatisfactory, it’s nice to see one of Northern Ireland’s greatest players secure a swansong to his long career.