Spurs linked to Manchester United defender Jonny Evans

Tottenham Hotspur needs an upgrade on defense. Jonny Evans is a defender who is out of favor at Manchester United. You've got your chocolate in my peanut butter! You've got your peanut butter in my chocolate! The Manchester Evening News is reporting that Jonny Evans is likely to be sold by United this summer, and he's been linked to both Tottenham and Everton.

Evans was once the darling of former United manager Alex Ferguson. Fergie was so enamored with the central defender that he once referred to him as "the best defender in England." Since Fergie's retirement, however, Evans' form and his minutes have trailed off and he's now behind Chris Smalling and Phil Jones in the United pecking order. He's barely played under Louis Van Gaal this season, starting only 14 matches, and with a year left on his contract United are hoping to offload him for £10m. Since both Tottenham and Everton are in need of defensive reinforcements, it's natural that the media are linking Evans to both clubs.

Jonny Evans isn't terrible, but his dip in form since Fergie's departure is worrisome. He's a player who probably benefitted from playing alongside a dominant central defender in Rio Ferdinand, much like Michael Dawson benefitted by playing alongside Ledley King. It's possible that he could regain his form playing beside Jan Vertonghen, but £10m seems like an awful lot of money for a guy who seemingly peaked back in 2012. Combine that with a history of injuries – Evans missed about 20 matches the past two seasons despite limited playing time – and I'm dubious that Evans is a good addition to Tottenham Hotspur.

Jonny Evans isn't a terrible defender and he'd likely be a capable squad player, and an upgrade to Younes Kaboul. It's unlikely that Evans will be content moving away from United to be a squad player elsewhere, though. And even if you're looking for a reclamation project there are better options out there – Espanyol's Hector Moreno, for one.

I'm not a Jonny Evans hater, but at the price listed this is one deal that I'd be more than happy to dismiss.