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United agree deal for midfielder

Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailManchester United have reportedly agreed with Athletic Bilbao midfielder Ander Herrera, who looks set to become Louis Van Gaal’s first signing of the summer after United decided to trigger the midfielder’s release clause.

Spanish newspaper Marca reports that United decided to pay the €36m (£28.7m) clause for the midfielder who has already traveled to England and is expected to pun pen to paper on a four-year deal worth €3m (£2.3m) a year and both clubs could announce the deal as early as today.

United’s pursuit of the 24-year-old ended in farce on deadline day last year, when men thought to be acting on behalf of United were seen entering Athletic’s headquarters as United were expected to make a £24m bid, only for the club to issue a swift denial of any involvement in the deal, claiming the three were impostors who had no connection whatsoever with either club.

With United linked with a host with different midfielders this summer, Herrera’s name had somewhat fallen behind in the list of candidates but his signing could represent a major coup for the club, with Van Gaal desperate to add some creativity and guile to a moribund midfield and Herrera looks the sort of player who could fit perfectly in the Dutchman’s system.

An creative midfielder by trade, at ease in the middle of the park as well as further up the pitch – a position, however, in which United already have an embarrassment of choices in Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata and Adnan Januzaj – Herrera, much like the modern breed of Spanish midfielders, is an excellent passer of the ball and gifted with great vision but he’s not afraid to put in a tackle.

United have monitored his development since the Reds were given the runaround by Athletic Bilbao in the 2011-12 Europa League, when the Spaniard was outstanding over both legs as his team in knocked United out on route to the final – which they then lost to Atletico Madrid.

Over the last three seasons, Herrera, who is yet to make his full international debut, scored 11 goals and assisted a further 20 in 128 appearances in all competitions with Athletic.

Dan


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