Manchester United have officially confirmed that Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera will leave the club at the end of the season.
In an interview with the Manchester United’s official website, Ander Herrera has confirmed what seemed to be inevitable for the last few weeks. The Spaniard is set to leave the Premier League club at the end of the season, when he would have become a free agent, amid interest from PSG.
Ander Herrera joined Manchester United from Athletic Bilbao in the summer of 2014, becoming the first signing made by the club in the forgettable post-David Moyes era. The Spaniard did not get off to the best of starts, and has had to deal with the highs and lows mirroring those of the entire unit at Old Trafford.
A goodbye message from @AnderHerrera. ? #MUFC pic.twitter.com/z56bmBwXa9
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 11, 2019
But, over the course of his five-year journey at the club, the 29-year-old grew to become a key figure for the Red Devils. The same is reflected in the fact that he won their Player of the Year in 2017, while also having been an important member of the squad under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
In the last five years, Herrera has made 189 appearances for Manchester United, with 20 goals and 27 assists to show for his efforts. The midfield general has won the FA Cup, the EFL Cup and the UEFA Europa League with the Premier League heavyweights.
But, over the last few months, there were lingering fears at Old Trafford over the fact that his contract with the club was due to run out this summer. The fears multiplied, with PSG being heavily linked with a move for Herrera.
The inevitable has now been confirmed by the player himself, with Manchester United posting a video of the 29-year-old giving his farewell message to the club’s supporters. The announcement comes in the wake of Solskjaer’s comments during his pre-match press conference on Friday, wherein he iterated that Herrera would make the confirmation himself.
Speaking to Manchester United’s official website, Herrera said, “This is a sad moment to be honest because I’ve enjoyed the last five years at this club so much, but I’m here to announce that I’m moving and I will not be a Manchester United player next season.”
“Of course I have a message for the fans because they have been incredible with me. I have so much to thank all of them for – they have given me so much love and support. As I said before, this is not an easy day or an easy decision but sometimes in life you have to take decisions.”
Herrera’s departure is set to leave a gaping hole in the Manchester United midfield, leaving Solskjaer with even more to do in this summer’s transfer window, ahead of what will be a summer of intense rebuilding at Old Trafford. What now remains to be seen is where the player ends up, with PSG a likely destination.
