Profile: Ander Herrera

Manchester United has announced the signing of Ander Herrera from Athletic Club. But how much do you know about the Spanish central midfielder? Read on to learn more…
Background: Ander Herrera was born in Bilbao on 14 August 1989. His schooling in Spanish football came at Real Zaragoza where he made 41 first-team appearances and helped them win promotion to La Liga in 2009. Two years later, Herrera moved to Athletic Club in the city of his birth for a reported fee of £6.6million.

The Bilbao boy: As one third of an effective midfield triumvirate that also included Oscar de Marcos and Ander Iturraspe, Herrera became a key component in a team that quickly ascended the ranks of Spanish and European football. In fact, during his first season at San Mames, under the tutelage of maverick manager Marcelo Bielsa, the club were runners-up in the Europa League and Copa del Rey. A hernia injury proved troublesome throughout the 2012/13 campaign, when a series of big-name players secured moves away from Bilbao, although Herrera's eventual return helped steer Athletic away from the relegation zone. With his reputation enhanced, interest from overseas clubs, including United, was reported. Alas, it wasn’t to be and the playmaker continued to impress in Spain, scoring five goals in 33 appearances to help secure a fourth-placed finish in 2013/14.

Have we met him before? In March 2012, United welcomed Athletic Club to Old Trafford for a Europa League encounter that was meant to be one-sided. Unfortunately, the Reds were caught off guard and suffered a humbling 3-2 defeat at the hands of Bielsa's powerfully energetic side. Herrera played a starring role that night, clocking up 86 minutes of action and one assist for de Marcos. A second-leg defeat at San Mames followed, sending the Reds bowing out of Europe. After witnessing his team's defeat, Sir Alex Ferguson said admiringly: “Athletic Club's work rate is higher than any I have seen in Europe. But it is not just about their work rate, they are very good footballers too. They will go far.”

Country calling: Herrera has so far been capped by every age group with the Spanish national team except the senior side and he notably played alongside David De Gea and Juan Mata for the Under-21s. He also made three appearances for Spain's Olympic team during the 2012 Games in England. With all the talk of a watershed for Spain's World Cup-winning midfielders, following their early exit from Brazil 2014, Herrera's full debut could be on the cards if he catches the eye with United.

What we said: "Ander is a fantastic young player, with great energy and creativity. We believe him to be one of the brightest young prospects in Spain and I am certain he will be a big hit with the United fans. I’m delighted he has made the decision to come to Manchester and play his part in the club's future." - Ryan Giggs

What he said: “Signing for Manchester United is a dream come true. I have played at Old Trafford for Athletic Club in the UEFA Europa League and it was one of the highlights of my career so far. I have joined United to do all I can to help the team reach the club's objectives. Having arrived on Tuesday I'm excited to now be living in Manchester and I can't wait for my first game in United's famous red shirt.” - Ander Herrera