Former Manchester United fullback Arthur Albiston has defended last season's form of Patrice Evra.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is understood to be searching for a new left-back signing this summer.

"There's been all sorts of names touted around by agents," Albiston told manutd.com. "It was clearly a little bit of a difficult season for Evra. He's been so consistent in the time he's been here but there were the circumstances with the [Luis] Suarez incident hanging around for three months.

"Everyone expects him to play just as well as the last three or four seasons and he started coming back to his old self again in the last few games of the season.