Sunderland have made Corry Evans their second signing of the summer, recruiting the midfielder on a two-year deal following his release from Blackburn Rovers.

Chief Sports Writer Scott Wilson has a closer look at the 30-year-old…

 


1 Corry Evans is the younger brother of Leicester City centre-half Jonny Evans. He therefore becomes the second member of his family to play for the Black Cats, with Jonny having made 35 senior appearances for Sunderland during two separate loan spells between January 2007 and May 2008.


2 Corry was born in Belfast and began his career with Greenisland Boys FC, the same club that also helped nurture Craig Cathcart. However, his family relocated to Manchester when his brother, Jonny, was signed by Manchester United’s youth set-up.


3 Like Jonny, Corry started his footballing career in Manchester United’s youth ranks, signing his first trainee contract on his 16th birthday. He made his reserve-team debut for Manchester United in 2005, and skippered the second string in the 2008-09 season. However, while Ole Gunnar Solksjaer nominated him for Reserve Team Player of the Year, he was unable to break into Manchester United’s senior ranks.


4 Having failed to make the breakthrough at Old Trafford, Corry spent two years with Hull City before moving on to Blackburn in 2013. He has spent the last eight years with the Ewood Park club, making 219 senior appearances for Rovers. Primarily a central midfielder, the 30-year-old has also slotted into the defence on occasion.


5 Corry is an established Northern Ireland international, having won 65 senior caps for his national side. He made his international debut against Italy in 2009, and was part of the Northern Ireland squad that played at Euro 2016 in France. He conceded a controversial penalty for handball in the two-legged play-off with Switzerland that resulted in Northern Ireland missing out on a place at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.