The former Newcastle United boss admits he loved the now-West Bromwich Albion man.
Alan Pardew has told The Birmingham Mail that he tried and failed on several occasions to bring Jonny Evans to Newcastle United during his stint at St James’s Park.
Pardew finally has his man since taking the West Bromwich Albion job last week and inheriting the three-time Premier League champion, who left Old Trafford for The Hawthorns two years ago.
The 29-year-old centre-back has since emerged as perhaps West Brom’s most valuable and most consistent player since been signed by Tony Pulis.
Pardew will look to change the philosophy within the Baggies’ squad but one thing he won’t change from Pulis’s reign is the captain, claiming that the Northern Irishman will continue to wear the armband.
“There was a spell at Newcastle where I looked at Jonny for a while. He will certainly stay as captain,” the 56-year-old, who spent four years at Newcastle, told The Birmingham Mail.
“A couple of times I tried to sign Jonny Evans and he probably knew that, so that helped him.”
Evans is contracted to Albion until 2019 and Pardew told BBC Sport last week that he was keen to sign up the former Red Devil – a reported Arsenal target last summer – to a new deal as soon as possible.
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