Jonny Evans is in advanced talks with Manchester United over a staff role that will tap into his knowledge of youth development.

United want to retain Evans at the club after he called time on his playing career and an agreement is in place for him to look after loans of emerging talents.

Evans, 37, returned to United in 2023 after eight years away and provided a meaningful contribution on the pitch, making 43 appearances, and also a telling impact around the club, offering advice to younger players and giving his insight into United’s heritage. On last summer’s pre-season tour in Los Angeles he spoke compellingly of staff members losing their jobs in the first round of redundancies.

But his football experience is seen as vital to keep at United, where he won three Premier League titles, two League Cups, a Champions League and a Club World Cup in his first spell. He rose through the ranks at United having first attended the club’s centre of excellence in Belfast aged nine, making his debut in September 2007 under Sir Alex Ferguson.

After leaving Old Trafford in 2015 to join West Bromwich Albion then Leicester City, Evans returned on a free transfer under Erik ten Hag, initially being paid the minimum wage due to being registered as a short-term employee.

United see Evans as a valuable asset for his character, professionalism and experience of winning trophies, and feel a role in bridging the pathway between academy and senior football suits him.

Les Parry, United’s loans manager, left the club last November to take a similar job at NEOM SC in Saudi Arabia and Evans is set to fill than vacancy. His job will be to identify appropriate clubs at which to place young players and then keep on top of their progress, offering support where needed.

In all, across his two stints at United, Evans played 241 games, scoring eight goals.

The move into a staff role officially brings to an end Evans’ 19-year playing career. He made 538 senior appearances for five clubs, winning the Championship with Sunderland in 2007, the FA Cup with Leicester in 2021, and the competition again with United in 2024.

He earned 107 caps for Northern Ireland, leading his nation to the round of 16 at Euro 2016 as captain. He was awarded an MBE in 2023. In all, across his two stints at United, Evans played 241 games, scoring eight goals.

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