01 February 2024 , 13:22
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Jonny Evans doubled his wages by using Roy Keane's autobiography against him when he joined Sunderland on loan.
Roy Keane revealed that he was surprised to find the defender had read his book and taken advice from it. Evans took inspiration to 'negotiate hard' with clubs ahead of joining the Black Cats in January 2008 after already spending the 2006/07 season at the Stadium of Light.
The Manchester United defender first helped Sunderland earn promotion to the Premier League before Keane looked to land the 36-year-old for a second time in a bid to avoid relegation from the division. Keane led the Wearside team to survival with the help of Evans.
Capped 106 times by Northern Ireland, Evans pushed to see his weekly wage increased by £10,000 before joining the club. He was successful in pocketing a boost in addition to a £1million loan fee.
Nevertheless, Keane lauded the signing as brilliant. The fiery pundit even admitted that Sir Alex Ferguson provided him with a favour in sanctioning the move.
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Speaking on Stick to Football, Keane said: "Jonny Evans was a huge signing for me in the January transfer window at Sunderland. Sir Alex Ferguson did me a bit of a favour with the signing as well.
"Jonny had come to Sunderland the previous year in the 2006/07 season when we were in the Championship, and he had done well so we got him back in the following season in January and we had to give him a £1m loan fee for the second part of the season.
Roy Keane's spell managing Sunderland is still remembered by fans (Getty Images)"Jonny was on £10,000 a week, but the chairman came to me and said Jonny want £20,000 a week, so I rang him up and asked him why he wanted £20,000 and he said that he had read my book. And I was like 'You read my book?'
"He told me he had and that in the book it said that you’ve got to negotiate hard to get as much money as you can, so we gave him £20,000 a week and he was a brilliant signing for us."
Evans would eventually complete his permanent exit in 2015, joining West Brom before signing for Leicester City. But an unlikely return to Old Trafford was completed at the start of this season, when he impressed current United boss Erik ten Hag.
Now 36, the defender initially returned in order to regain fitness, but injuries to starters gave him an opportunity which he was able to grasp making 15 appearances in all competitions.