Tony Pulis has suggested that he is not expecting West Bromwich Albion defender Jonny Evans to sign a new contract anytime soon.
Evans has been fantastic for the Baggies since he arrived from Manchester United in 2015, establishing himself as one of the most impressive centre-backs in the Premier League.
That form attracted plenty of attention, with the Express and Star reporting that Arsenal, Manchester City and tonight’s opponents Leicester City all maintaining some interest in the 29-year-old, with the Foxes making one bid worth £23 million – though it fell short of West Brom’s £30 million asking price.
The Express and Star adds that West Brom put a £100,000 a week deal on the table in the summer to try and tie Evans down. But perhaps worryingly, Pulis has suggested that the supporters should not expect any imminent progress on that front.
“Jonny has two years left and I don’t think anything’s going to happen with Jonny for a while. If they’re talking they’re talking. I haven’t got a problem with Jonny,” he said, as reported by the Express and Star.
While West Brom arguably need to make a couple of signings to help elevate their squad further, it could certainly be argued that getting Evans tied down will prove to be as important a piece of business as any the Baggies will pull off if they can get the Northern Ireland international to put pen to paper.
Gareth McAuley’s longevity arguably shows that Evans could remain a key part of the West Brom side for several years to come.
And recent transfer windows suggest that having a player with two years left on their contract can become a precarious situation, so letting Evans’ deal run down much further before reaching a resolution is surely a gamble from the Baggies.
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