October 8th 2024.
Former Manchester United player and legend, Rio Ferdinand, recently expressed his belief that the club made a huge mistake in selling Jonny Evans. Ferdinand claims that Evans was the best defender at the club when he left, and should have been kept for another 12 years. Evans had spent almost a decade at United during his first spell, making 198 appearances and helping the team win three Premier League titles.
However, under the management of Louis van Gaal, Evans fell out of favor and was sold to West Brom for a mere £8m in 2015. Since then, the center-back position has been a problematic one for United, leading them to re-sign Evans at the age of 35 in the summer of 2023. After a successful five-year stint at Leicester City, Evans returned to the Theatre of Dreams and made 30 appearances in all competitions last season.
His consistent performances have earned him a regular spot in the team this season, and he even produced a Man of the Match performance in Sunday's goalless draw against Aston Villa. Ferdinand believes that this was further proof that Evans should never have been sold, and that he was a player the club could have built around instead of letting him go for a small fee.
Ferdinand's former teammate, Phil Jones, agrees with his sentiments and was not surprised to see Evans perform well against Villa. Jones, who recently retired due to injuries, believes that Evans is a top player with valuable qualities such as ball control, game reading ability, and leadership skills.
However, the fact that Evans was Manchester United's best player against Villa did not sit well with club legend Paul Scholes. He expressed that it felt wrong to see a 36-year-old center-back being the best player on the team. Scholes believes that this is a sign that something is not right at United, especially since they are currently in 14th place in the Premier League.
Former United and Tottenham player, Dimitar Berbatov, went even further, claiming that the rest of the team should be ashamed of themselves for being outdone by a 36-year-old player. He urged the younger players to take notice and do better in the future.
It is clear that Evans' return to Old Trafford has been a successful one, and his experience and understanding of the club have been valuable assets. Many believe that United could have built a strong team around him instead of constantly trying out new center-back partnerships and signing new players in that position. As United fans continue to debate and discuss the decision to sell Evans, it remains a lesson for the club to not underestimate the value of experienced and loyal players.
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