Jonny Evans has been described as a future leader of Manchester United (United 11/5 Premiership Outright 2010/2011) by boss Sir Alex Ferguson after he signed a new four-year deal at Old Trafford.

The Northern Ireland international defender has figured heavily in the Red Devils’ current campaign due to a myriad of respective injury problems to the first-choice pairing of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.

And Ferguson is delighted to tie him down to a long-term contract as he feels Evans will eventually go on to captain the side in the coming seasons.

“Jonny has signed a new deal,” said Ferguson.

“We have been working on it for a few months now and I am happy that he has signed it.”

United still have a chance of winning this season’s Premier League title (7/1 Outright) but they must defeat Stoke City in their final match of the campaign at Old Trafford (United 1/9, Stoke 16/1, draw 7/1 90 Minutes) on Sunday and hope Chelsea slip up at home to Wigan (Chelsea 1/10, Wigan 20/1, draw 7/1 90 Minutes).

Ferguson feels the week that United lost at home to Chelsea in between crashing out of the Champions League on away goals over two legs against Bayern Munich will be the key period of the season that cost United if they fail to retain their league crown this weekend.

“It was a bad week for us and it might have cost us everything,” said Ferguson.

“The biggest disappointment was the European Cup. It is an absolute travesty because we were the better team.”

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