‘Perfect Role Model’—Man Utd Confirm New Position for Jonny Evans | OneFootball

Manchester United have confirmed the appointment of former centre-back Jonny Evans as the club’s new head of loans and pathways.

Following the end of a distinguished playing career which brought him three Premier League titles and 241 appearances for Manchester United, it was reported that Evans had been approached for the position of overseeing the club’s young talent during their various loan spells.

Those rumours have now been confirmed. “I am looking forward to working with the next generation of talented players to support them to reach their potential,” Evans beamed to Manchester United’s official website.

“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.”

Evans joined United’s centre of excellence in Belfast, Northern Ireland as a nine-year-old before eventually forcing his way into the first team as a teenager. The measured centre-back was dispatched on two loan spells at the start of his career, flourishing in Belgium with Royal Antwerp before getting to grips with the demands of senior English football at Sunderland.

Jonny Evans made 241 appearances for Man Utd across two spells at the club. / IMAGO/PRiME Media Images

“Having just finished his exceptional playing career, Jonny is the perfect role model for our young players,” United’s newly appointed director of football Jason Wilcox gushed.

“Jonny’s knowledge of what it takes to succeed at Manchester United will be of great benefit to each of them as we continue to develop world-class talent capable of performing in our first team.”

It remains to be seen which young players Ruben Amorim is willing to do without next season. Towards the end of the 2024–25 campaign, Manchester United’s head coach increasingly leaned upon youth for Premier League fixtures while focusing on the Europa League, even naming the club’s youngest XI ever fielded in the competition.

Several of these prodigious gems are expected to team up with the senior squad for United’s preseason friendlies, giving Amorim another opportunity to assess their quality. Those deemed to be too raw for United’s first team will be part of the first wave of loanees under Evans’s watch.