{"id":1873,"date":"2023-10-16T18:26:53","date_gmt":"2023-10-16T18:26:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/winedrinker.me\/?p=1873"},"modified":"2023-10-17T03:06:07","modified_gmt":"2023-10-17T03:06:07","slug":"jonny-evans-reveals-he-was-close-to-retirement-before-manchester-united-return","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/winedrinker.me\/index.php\/2023\/10\/16\/jonny-evans-reveals-he-was-close-to-retirement-before-manchester-united-return\/","title":{"rendered":"Jonny Evans reveals he was close to retirement before Manchester United return"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Manchester<\/div>
Jonny Evans came through Man Utd\u2019s academy and returned to the club over the summer (Photo: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jonny Evans<\/a> has revealed he considered retiring from football last season before his sensational return to Manchester United<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Eight years after leaving Old Trafford, the veteran centre-back was handed a one-year deal<\/a>\u00a0over the\u00a0summer\u00a0after initially returning to the club on a trial basis.<\/p>\n

Though it was expected that he would just play a very minor role in Erik ten Hag<\/a>\u2019s plans, the 35-year-old has been called into action due to the injury crisis that has sidelined the likes of Lisandro Martinez<\/a>, Raphael Varane and Harry Maguire.<\/p>\n

And to the surprise of many<\/a>, Evans has proven himself to still be a top defender, with United winning both of the games he has started, even assisting the winner at Burnley on his full-debut.<\/p>\n

But it could have been very different had he hung up his boots at the end of the last season \u2013 something the former West Brom and Leicester star has admitted nearly happened as he struggled with injuries.<\/p>\n

\u2018I went through a stage last year where I started thinking maybe it is coming to an end,\u2019 the Northern Ireland captain said ahead of his country\u2019s Euro 2024 qualifier against Slovenia on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

\u2018There\u2019s no doubt I did have those thoughts. At the time I couldn\u2019t get over injuries and every time I came back I was breaking down.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Newcastle<\/div>
Evans missed much of last season with a calf injury (Photo: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018I had lots of people telling me there\u2019s no way you\u2019re close to finishing, but you have to prove that to yourself and I feel like I\u2019ve been able to do that.<\/p>\n

\u2018Every time you complete a match you think, \u201cThere\u2019s another one, I can do that\u201d, and sometimes you just have to confirm that to yourself. I\u2019ve been pleased I\u2019ve been able to go through that process and I feel in a good place.\u2019<\/p>\n

A lengthy calf injury reduced Evans to just 14 appearances last season, with his absence playing a big part in the Foxes relegation from the Premier League.<\/p>\n