United exit would not be the end for Jonny: O’neill
NORTHERN Ireland manager Michael O’neill believes there will be no shortage of interest in Jonny Evans if he is released by Manchester United following Saturday’s FA Cup final.
Evans is included in next month’s international friendlies with Spain and Andorra, which is a hint he has no intention of retiring at the end of this season, even though recent reports suggest he will not be offered a new contract at Old Trafford.
The Northern Ireland manager certainly hopes that the 36-year-old defender remains available for this autumn’s Nations League campaign.
O’neill said: “I will have that conversation with Jonny in Spain about his international future.
“It may be determined by what happens at Manchester United.
“But you can’t tell what way these things will go. I think Jonny has done himself no harm this season as he has been an important player for Manchester United in a difficult season, a team that has had a lot of challenges.
“There are a lot of managers out there that would love to have Jonny Evans at their club. You don’t know what opportunities will be presented to players.
“From my point of view, I want to see Jonny continue to play for club and country.”
O’neill offered Evans the opportunity to sit out the trip to Spain, but the veteran defender made it clear he wanted to be involved.
He said: “Jonny has had to manage an injury throughout the season. He has put the team before himself at times this year, playing when maybe not 100%.
“He now has the FA Cup final to look forward too.
“I gave Jonny the choice to skip this, but he said he wanted to be involved and I want to play.”
Jonny will be joined in the squad by younger brother Corry. It’s the first time the midfielder has been included in the squad since suffering a dreadful ACL injury playing for Sunderland in January 2023.
O’neill believes this trip gives Corry — who has been released by Sunderland — the opportunity to put himself in the shop window.
He said: “It’s been tough for Corry. I was at the game where Corry injured himself — I remember talking to him after that game and he said ‘it will be fine, I’ll just be out for a few weeks.’
“Then we got the news it was his ACL. It was a tough recovery. He was out for 18 months.
“It’s never easy when you’re on the other side of 30. When you come back, there’s always other little injuries that hold you back. Corry’s had calf problems since his return.
“It did get some minutes before leaving Sunderland, which is positive. He’s in that vacuum where he is looking for a new club. I think spending a couple of weeks with us will help him with that, as well as helping us. He’s keen to be involved.”
O’neill said he had no hesitation in selecting the likes of Corry Evans and Josh Magennis, even though they are currently without a club.
He explained: “The players have that choice. I had a conversation with Josh who is obviously in the same situation as Corry.
“I said, ‘Look, if it’s an issue for you, I fully understand that’, but both players were very keen to come and be involved and play.
“People can see that they’re still involved at international level and hopefully if people pick up the phone to me over the summer and ask me how they are, I’m able to say they’re in good shape.”