Gemma Evans has been hailed a “world-class” defender and tipped to thrive in the upper echelons of the Women's Super League.
The Reading centre-half has been linked with a move to Manchester United following the expiry of her two-year contract with Reading. The Royals suffered relegation on the final day of the WSL season as they fell to a 3-0 loss to reigning champions, Chelsea.
Despite having a WSL relegation on her CV, the Welsh international performed admirably during a difficult season as the Royals backline was routinely exposed. Her performances have seen her linked with a slew of top WSL sides, with United appearing to be the favourites for the 26-year-old’s signature.
Wales manager Gemma Grainger praised Evans ahead of a potential move and maintained that playing in the upper tier of the WSL and in Europe is precisely where the defender belongs.
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“The first day I met Gemma [Evans], the belief that I’ve had in her, for me she’s a world-class centre-half” Grainger said in a press conference ahead of Wales' friendly against reigning world champions USA. “You see her against [Marie-Antoinette] Katoto when we played France in our World Cup qualifying campaign. She and Hayley [Ladd] handled her and the rest of that French front line superbly.
“I think that’s her level for me. And I want her to play at the highest level.”
Evans' addition to United's defensive ranks would represent a club looking forward to a campaign in which they will be competing on all four fronts after securing Champions League football next season. Last season United acquired French defender Aissatou Tounkara on a two-year deal from Atletico Madrid. However, the 28-year-old made only one WSL appearance across her debut season with Maya Le Tissier and Millie Turner as the first-choice centre-backs.
Nevertheless, a competitive and busy season following a World Cup will likely force clubs to take stock and bolster ranks where required.
Reading ended the campaign with the record for most goals conceded with 57, but Evans, who has more than 50 caps for her country, ranked third highest in the WSL for shots blocked (19 in total), and sixth most per 90, though she clocked 600 minutes more than five players ranked above her.
Her 3.5 clearances per 90 (58 in total) also saw her rank in the league’s top 10, while the sheer volume of minutes last season demonstrated the desire to shoulder responsibility during a difficult period for her club. Evans’ aerial prowess, tenacity and versatility in back three or four have cut her an appealing prospect for top-flight clubs.
Grainger’s sentiments echo those of Evans, who stated earlier this month that playing for a higher-ranked club to develop her skillset is not only available to her but feels like the appropriate next step in her career.
“I want to stay in the WSL, but I would like to go higher up the table,” she previously told the Mirror. “I’ve still got a lot to develop and I’m willing to learn, so it’s about finding the best place for that.”
Evans added: “I think I could’ve put myself on a better stage [last season] but I think I have produced where I needed to. My basic mark, which is quite high, I hit every game but I wanted to always be better so in some games I wasn’t that bit better, which frustrates me. Mentally, it’s been one of the most difficult seasons for me.”
Evans and fellow United player Ladd have formed a formidable centre-back partnership for Wales over the course of the last two years since Grainger’s appointment to the national team. The pair are set to test themselves against one of the most potent attacks in the world as they face reigning world champions USA in the latter’s Women’s World Cup send-off match next month.
The USWNT are stacked with well-known strikers Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and Lynn Williams, along with NWSL starlets Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Alyssa Thompson.
“It’s a brilliant challenge for us,” Grainger said. “Like I said, Hayley Ladd and Gemma Evans played against the French front three in the last campaign and we saw the way they handled them and for me, it’s exactly the same. How do you stop Trinity Rodman? That’s the challenge for them but I’m sure they can do it.”
