Solskjaer gives timeframe for Herrera return

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has suggested injured midfielder Ander Herrera could return in time for the team's upcoming Premier League fixtures at home against Manchester City and Chelsea.

The Spaniard has not featured for the Reds since last month, when he was substituted during the 2-1 win over Watford on 30 March, and has been the subject of feverish transfer speculation, as his current deal is set to expire at the end of the season.

But Solskjaer is pleased with the 29-year-old's efforts to recover from his physical issues, and hopeful that he can be available for either the derby on Wednesday 24 April, or for the meeting with Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday 28 April.

“He’s been working really hard to get fit from his injury that he sustained against Liverpool,” explained the Norwegian. “Then he came back and he got a different one here in training, because he’s been really putting a lot of work in.

”Unfortunately, that’s come at a time where there are contract talks, but that’s ongoing, so I can’t really comment too much on how far they’ve come down the line and what he’s deciding.“

The boss also confirmed he would have little hesitation in picking Herrera once he becomes fully fit, despite uncertainty over the player's future, and praised the former Athletic Club man's professionalism.

“I don’t know how they’ve been, the last few [contract] talks,” added Ole. “But we’ve let him focus on his fitness. He loves to play, so he’s not very happy when he can’t help his team-mates, and he’s always giving it his all. It doesn’t matter if he’s got five years left of his contract or five weeks.

”Maybe the future might have been worrying him and maybe that’s part of the reason that he’s injured. Who knows? He doesn’t know, because he got a different injury in training, so hopefully he can be available for around Chelsea, City. I’m not sure, because he's got another muscle injury.“