Northern Ireland goalkeeper Michael McGovern has called for international teammate Jonny Evans to be shown more respect.
The West Bromwich Albion defender was linked with a move to Arsenal during the summer transfer window, a potential switch which was met with widespread ridicule on social media.
However, McGovern believes that the former Manchester United man would be more highly regarded if he were foreign, having seen the Gunners eventually part with £35m to sign Shkodran Mustafi.
"I don't think he gets enough respect. At Man United he never got enough respect and he was part of the team that won the league; it was him, [Nemanja] Vidic and [Rio] Ferdinand, and Jonny played most of that season. He's a class defender. I don't know if it's because he's British, if he was foreign maybe he'd got more credit. I think he showed at the Euros what a top-class defender he is," he told reporters.
"It's no surprise that there was a top Premier League team looking at him because I feel he's more than capable of playing for a top-four team. He's already proven that and I was surprised that he went to West Brom, in a way, because they got a bargain there. He could definitely still be playing for a top team. I think sometimes British players get a hard time of it.
"There was a time when with Man United a few of the defenders weren't playing well and Jonny seemed to be talked about in the same bracket as them even though he wasn't having half as bad a time as them. I think Jonny's quality. I thought he was our best player at the Euros. He's got the lot. He's great on the ball, is a ball-playing defender, is really strong, great in the air and talks really well."
Evans won the Premier League title on three occasions during his time at Old Trafford.
Barney Corkhill
