By Dave Marshall
Manchester United midfielder, Ander Herrera, has dismissed any talk of him leaving Old Trafford, insisting he has no reason to leave the club.
The 27-year-old Spain international has grown in leaps and bounds since joining from Athletic Bilbao back in 2014, and was a vital player last season for Mourinho, making 50 appearances and winning the club’s Player of the Year awards as a reward for his inspired performances.
Retrounited reported last week that Herrera is set for a huge pay rise on his current deal to ward off interest from Barcelona. He is expected to sign a new £175k-a-week deal, a move that will catapult him into the bracket of the club’s highest earners.
New Barcelona manager, Ernesto Valverde has targeted the player as a signing he would love to make as a midfielder for the Camp Nou outfit, but United have stood firm in their resolve not to let him go, meaning that the Catalan giants will have to look elsewhere for a midfielder.
Under Jose Mourinho, he has become somewhat indispensable as he offers balance to the midfielder, and helps to maintain a cohesive relationship between attack and defence, often acting as the intermediary between both.
Speaking to reporters after United’s 5-2 pre-season victory over LA Galaxy on Saturday, he said: “There is nothing certain about Barcelona because I am very happy at United,” he said after United’s 5-2 win over LA Galaxy.
“I feel valued and focused here.”
Herrera is a tough-tackling central midfielder famed for his ease both defensively and offensively. He joined United for £29m back in 2014 and has since made over 122 appearances, winning the FA Cup, Europa League, League Cup and Community Shield in that time.
