McQueen Sad To Lose Vidic

Former Manchester United centre-back Gordon McQueen believes Jonny Evans will become an automatic first-choice in the wake of Nemanja Vidic's departure at the end of the season.

The Scot, who played 229 times for the club, has paid tribute to the Serbian stopper for his service but feels Evans represents the future with Phil Jones and Chris Smalling capable of forming a top-class partnership alongside the homegrown product.

"What a disappointment," McQueen told ManUtd.com. "It's always a great disappointment when a great servant calls it a day. I think there will be plenty of clubs interested in him, without a doubt.

"We've had some great central defensive partnerships over the years like Gary Pallister and Steve Bruce. Vidic and Rio Ferdinand were in that class in their pomp. That's as good as he was and it's a shame it is going to break up but it's part and parcel of the game."

McQueen has no issues with the timing of the announcement as Vidic has ended all speculation about his contractual situation rather than let the matter drag on.

"I think it's right," he insisted. "He's entitled to sign a pre-contract in this transfer window and commit himself to a summer move. David Moyes now knows exactly where he stands and he has given the manager enough time to perhaps look for another player in that department.

"For Nemanja, he deserves the right to do it this way and it's very amicable with no histrionics. I am sure he will feature between now and the end of the season and there is a fair chance he could play on Sunday against Fulham due to the injury situation."

Northern Ireland international Evans should cement his position as first-choice in the coming months, according to McQueen, and there is plenty of cover in the middle of the defence within the ranks.

"I think already it's a case of Evans and A.N. Other," asserted the MUTV pundit, who will appear in Friday's Countdown to Kick-Off show. "I always felt the main defensive partnership was Vidic and Rio but, over the last six months, it's been Evans and A. N. Other. He is the main man now and has come on leaps and bounds in the past year or so.

"What we need now is Jones or Smalling partnering him. Jones has been a jack-of-all-trades by playing centre-midfield and right-back but we need to get him in there and start forming the kind of partnership to match Rio and Vidic or Pally and Bruce."

"We also have Michael Keane and Tom Thorpe. They have been doing the right thing by going out on loan. I've seen them in the Under-21s and covered some of the games for MUTV. It's very difficult to break through into the first team and Thorpe has been unfortunate to pick up an injury at Birmingham, but both look solid and have shown plenty of potential."

Vidic's departure will obviously spark debate about his long-term successor as captain and it is a role he has performed with great distinction.

"He may not be as vocal as some who have gone before him but he has certainly always led by example," explained McQueen. "We're lucky we have had some great captains, like Bryan Robson and Roy Keane, but Vidic has been terrific and hugely successful. It was a fantastic bit of business to sign him and he has been a great servant.

"I think Evans could be a contender for the armband because he's a centre-back, has been there a while and seems to tick all the boxes. But maybe we're looking at Wayne Rooney as a future captain. There are plenty of leaders and a number of options going forward but I guess it might be Wayne. However, I think plenty of people would be happy if Evans was chosen."