Trends-IE

NI legend ‘quits role’ at Manchester United after just six months

The 37-year-old took up the position in June after announcing his retirement from playing but has now stepped away from the role and United entirely.

It is understood that former centre-back Evans wishes to spend more time with his family before considering his next career move.

The Newtownabbey man had drawn the curtain on his playing days at the end of the 2024/25 season having racked up 241 appearances across two spells at the Red Devils.

He had been brought back to the club by Erik ten Hag in the summer of 2023 and helped United win the FA Cup the following year with a 2-1 Final success over Manchester City.

Prior to that, Evans had spent over a decade in his first spell after first joining the Academy ranks in 2004 and was a reliable performer for Sir Alex Ferguson.

The defender won a raft of honours that included three Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2008 having enjoyed loans at Sunderland and with Belgian side Royal Antwerp before his first-team breakthrough.

He was let go by Louis van Gaal in 2015 and starred for West Bromwich Albion and Leicester City – where he won the FA Cup under his countryman Brendan Rodgers in 2021 – before his return to United on an initial emergency basis.

Evans turned out to be a key performer once again, helping United see off City to earn his second FA Cup winner’s medal in 2024 before being an unused substitute in their Europa League Final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao in 2025.

Jonny Evans enjoyed a distinguished career that saw him make 107 appearances for Northern Ireland

It was also during his second spell at United that he called time on his Northern Ireland career, accumulating 107 caps from his debut in the memorable 3-2 victory over Spain in September 2006 to August 2024 when he stepped back to focus more on his club career.

Evans featured for Michael O’Neill in the Euro 2016 Finals and was also part of the Northern Ireland squad that agonisingly missed out on the 2018 World Cup following a controversial two-legged Play-Off loss to Switzerland.

After hanging up the boots earlier in 2025, he confirmed he was staying put at Manchester United by accepting the position of Head of Loans and Pathways within the club’s Academy.

Jonny Evans has stepped away from his role of Head of Loans and Pathways at Manchester United

WATCH: Co Down teenage singer goes viral with Die With A Smile cover

However, six months on, he has stepped down from that role in what is understood to be an amicable departure that has not surprised United staff.

Upon taking the position, Evans said: “I am looking forward to working with the next generation of talented players to support them to reach their potential.

“Having had experience of loans myself, I know the crucial role that they can play within a player’s development. I am excited to help further develop the pathway to our first-team and continue the legacy of young players thriving at Manchester United.”

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button