By Paul Clennam
Manchester United are set to offer Patrice Evra a new one-year contract extension in the summer.
The France international left-back has been in fine form during the 2012-13 campaign as the Red Devils close in on winning the Premier League title back from rivals Manchester City.
Sir Alex Ferguson is keen to open contract negotiations with the 31-year-old, who joined the club from Monaco back in January 2006, with his current deal due to expire in May 2014.
Evra remains largely uncontested as United’s first-choice left-back, with summer signing Alexander Buttner struggling to stake a claim for a regular spot and Fabio having been loaned out to QPR to continue his footballing education.
The defender has appeared in all but one of the Red Devils’ Premier League games in 2012-13, scoring four goals and contributing six assists to help United open up a 12-point gap at the top of the table.
Reports at the back end of 2012 had linked Evra with a move to big-spending Paris Saint-Germain, although he admitted at the time that Sir Alex would never allow such a switch.
Speaking in December, Evra confessed: “This is the club from the capital; I have never hidden my love for Paris, even if Monaco will stay my club.
“It always hurts my heart to see the club not win the championship or qualify for the Champions League.
“It is always a pleasure that Paris is interested by me, especially because I’m Parisian.
“But you will have to kill Ferguson before I come to Paris. There is nothing done and I’m happy in Manchester.”
Evra is set to line up against Real Madrid on Tuesday night as Manchester United look to build on their away goal in the first leg and book their place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
