Anybody who has seen Patrice Evra play over the last few years, would tell you that the Frenchman isn’t the player that he once was. While some footballers age gracefully, others just fall off a cliff. But, most footballers just like Evra become a shadow of their former selves, but still remain good enough to guarantee a spot in the team. Although Evra is arguably still just as good going forward, at the back, he is a liability.
So, it was a surprise to see him being rewarded with a fresh one-year contract extension that would see him stay at Old Trafford into his tenth season since signing in 2006 from AS Monaco. But, what wasn’t really a surprise was that his contract extension has now meant that Alexander Buttner is on his way out of Old Trafford. The Dutchman has recently revealed he wants out of United and is determined to force his way out, if it needs be, given that he is unlikely to feature anywhere near the first-team at Old Trafford.
Could United have foreseen this? Did they do the right thing by handing Evra a fresh contract? Now, that Buttner looks set to leave, who will replace him? Will they sign a World class left back who pushes Evra to the fringes or will they turn a blind eye to Evra’s form and continue to persist with him, when all evidence points to the contrary? These are just some of the questions that will be running on the minds of every Manchester United fan.
Given that one of United’s top priorities this summer has been the signature of a world class left back, Evra’s contract extension meant that Buttner was always going to leave. Adding more fuel to the fire is Van Gaal’s fractious relationship with Buttner, a play he never thought too much of, for the national side. All of this now means that the Red Devils now badly need to sign a left back this summer, or they will be left with just Evra.
Given Evra’s position in the squad, it was always very likely that he was going to get a contract extension this summer, which was always going to spell bad news for Buttner. While the departure of Buttner isn’t a bad thing per se, it leaves the squad short on cover in defence, an area that has been an Achilles heel for some time now.
Although Buttner never really established himself as Evra’s successor and was always seen as a deputy, his departure now means that the Van Gaal will be forced to sign at least one left back this summer. Although United have been constantly linked with pretty much every world class defender in Europe, they are yet to sign anyone and the longer that stays the case, the more Evra’s new contract looks like a mistake.
Truth be told, none of this would even be a problem if United had signed Luke Shaw already. But, what looked like a done deal is still hanging in the balance, with recent reports even suggesting that Van Gaal would prefer the much cheaper Daley Blind over Shaw. While there is no doubt that there are several top targets that are available, unless they sign them, the problem will persist.
Even if they do sign a world class full back, United face another problem. Given Evra’s status as a first-team player for so long, it is unlikely that he is going to take it well, being a deputy too easily. Do United really need to keep a player who thinks he should still be in the first team, when his form has seldom indicated that over the past few years? Also, even if he does take on life as a deputy, Evra’s age means that he is unlikely to last for more than a couple of seasons. Which means that before too long, they will be in the market for another left back, unless they unearth a gem from the academy.
All in all, it looks like Manchester United’s decision to give Evra a fresh contract seems like a mistake from every conceivable angle. While his experience and influence on the squad certainly does have an impact, Evra’s performances on the pitch didn’t warrant another contract. One that might well force the club into signing not one, but two top quality left backs in less than two years.