Rio Ferdinand criticises Man Utd transfer policy as he makes prediction about defender’s future

Rio Ferdinand has said he thinks Jonny Evans could be handed a contract extension at Manchester United after an impressive return to his boyhood club this season.

Evans initially came back to train with United’s youth team last summer in an effort to regain fitness following the expiry of his contract at Leicester City. That resulted in him being handed a short-term deal and heading on tour with the club, before he signed a year-long contract on transfer deadline day.

Despite coming in as fifth-choice centre-back, Evans has played a significant role this season due to all of United’s other centre-back facing long spells on the sidelines. The 36-year-old has played in 17 of the 27 games this term and put in another impressive display on Sunday in the Manchester derby. Evans marshalled Erling Haaland well during the opening 69 minutes, before he was replaced with a knock.

But Ferdinand, who played alongside Evans during his first stint at Old Trafford, admitted he has been taken aback by the defender’s impact this season. The ex-United captain also said he thinks his former team-mate could earn a contract extension with the club.

“I didn’t expect him to come in and play as many games and I didn’t expect him to do as well as he’s done. But he’s barely put a foot wrong, it’s crazy,” Ferdinand said on his FIVE podcast.

"He’s good with the ball, he’s good with the younger players. He’ll probably go into coaching after. But he wouldn’t have expected to play as many games and, listen, the way he’s going it wouldn’t surprise me if he got a new contract with the way things are at Man United, if not there then definitely somewhere else.

“He never expected to get a deal at Man United, no chance. He thought that ship had sailed. But it does show you, as well as he’s done and as much as I admire him as a professional, really he shouldn’t be at Man United.

“It just shows you where Man United are. He shouldn’t be being asked to come in and play and chase Haaland around. That’s not what the top clubs are doing, buying centre-backs who are past their best. But Man United have got a lot of injuries and they are where they are.”

The decision to sell Evans to West Bromwich Albion in 2015 was controversial at the time, and nine years on, Ferdinand still feels it was a major mistake to let the academy graduate leave.

“It was a travesty that they sold him - when me and [Nemanja] Vidic walked out the door, he was the best defender there,” said the ex-England centre-back. “

“I couldn’t believe he was allowed to leave, him and Chris Smalling. They knew the fabric of the club and Jonny is a massive Man United supporter. You need those types - great kid, never any trouble. He was a great trainer and a great professional.”