Jonny Evans has claimed that the Northern Ireland team want manager Michael O'Neill to sign a new contract.

The 46-year-old, who has been in charge of the national team since 2011, is in talks over a new deal.

Last month, O'Neill guided the team to the finals of next summer's European Championships.

"It would be sad for us as players if it got to a situation where he wasn't here," Sky Sports News quotes Evans as saying. "We'd all love to see him stay on. We know how much he puts into that so he deserves what he's got."

When asked if he thinks that O'Neill would do well in English football, Evans said: "Yes, I think so. What I like about him is he won't just settle for what's there, he'll try to improve. The fact is he's only with us for 10 days at a time and has improved us as players, as a team, as individuals."

The team will face Latvia in an international on Friday.