Jonny Evans is delighted with his new contract at Manchester United.

The 22-year-old central defender has played a key role in United's quest for silverware over the last two seasons, regularly and ably stepping in to provide cover for first choice pairing Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic. Evans is delighted to have committed himself to the club for the next four years and is looking forward to the challenges ahead.

"Negotiations started a couple of months ago and went pretty smoothly and I'm glad to have finally signed," Evans told manutd.com. "It's nice to have a bit of security. It means I can start planning - little things like that are good. They help you settle and put your mind at ease.

"It would be nice to stick around as long as the older guys who are signing extensions. They just keep going. The contract is there but you still have to perform for the manager. If your performance levels dropped you could be sold in January."

Evans believes he has come a long way in the last couple of seasons and feels he has thrived on the pressure of facing some of the best players in Europe.

"Playing at a club like Manchester United you are always going to be involved in big matches and it's something I relish," he added. "I have really enjoyed the last two seasons. It has been a great experience for me and I have learnt a lot."