AN emotional Jonny Evans admits that leaving Sunderland with a Championship winner's medal this week will be something he will cherish for the rest of his career.

And the young Northern Irishman, after his loan from Manchester United ended in glory at Luton Town on Sunday, would welcome the opportunity to pull on the Black Cats' shirt in the Premiership next season.

With United's defensive shortcomings proving costly in their pursuit of Champions League success this month, Evans is well aware his future lies very much in Sir Alex Ferguson's hands.

After sharing a celebratory meal with his title-winning team-mates last night, he will take a holiday during the summer before heading to United for pre-season training at the beginning of July.

Sunderland manager Roy Keane has already spoken to Ferguson about the possibility of taking the composed defender back to the Stadium of Light for a further year come August.

And, although that likelihood remains strong, Evans expects to be waiting until the eve of the new Premiership campaign to hear whether he will be required by the champions or not; either way he will not have a problem.

"I really don't know if there's a chance of me coming back," said Evans. "The gaffer (Keane) has said he will speak to Sir Alex Ferguson again but he doesn't know what is going to happen until Man United's season has ended.

"At the moment the plan is for me to go back to United for pre-season and see what is happening.

"I don't think it will be decided until quite late on, if anything was to happen."

Having played 18 times for Sunderland in their climb from mid-table to the pinnacle of the Championship, Evans knows his burgeoning talent has developed even further.

He formed a strong partnership with Nyron Nosworthy at the heart of the defence and the Northern Ireland international feels the whole Sunderland experience has been hugely worthwhile.

"I will go back a better player," said Evans. "To have been playing with good players in training every day has helped and the standard of football we have been playing anyway has been fantastic for me.

"The standard of football in our training has been better than some of the football we have been playing in matches. That's because the lads can be more relaxed and enjoy it more.

"But even as a person I feel I have grown up more. I am still young and I have had to defend for myself in a different part of the country. I have enjoyed that part of things."

Helping Sunderland to conquer the Championship has been a fantastic experience for Evans and he is expected to develop into one of the Premiership's best defenders in the years to come.

But witnessing the celebrations at Kenilworth Road on Sunday, after confirmation that Birmingham City's title surge had been derailed at Preston, was something special for Evans.

"You can't get better than going up as champions," he said. "When I joined, this club was sitting around in mid-table and it has been nice to be part of a squad that climbed up the table and eventually became champions.

"It's something I will take with me for the rest of my career.

"Not many people can say that they have won the Championship, but I can already.

"It's great to go up to the Premiership with the winner's medal and to be part of this set-up which won the trophy is a great feeling."

Meanwhile, the Football League has defended itself against Roy Keane's complaints after Sunderland had to wait for the opportunity to lift the Championship trophy.

Keane branded it 'a disgrace' but Football League head of communications John Nagle said: "Representations from the relevant authorities, including Bedfordshire Police, ruled out any possibility of the Championship trophy being presented to Sunderland at Luton due to spectator safety issues.

"In any event, had it been possible for the League to make presentations at away grounds this weekend the Championship trophy would actually have been at Preston, as Birmingham City were ahead going into the final weekend."