Ander Herrera will be offered a new £120,000-a-week contract at Old Trafford this summer after emerging as one of Manchester United’s most important players under Jose Mourinho, according to Daily Mail.
Herrera had arguably his best game for United in Sunday’s win over Chelsea as he set up the first goal, scored the second and did a superb man-marking job on Eden Hazard.
The 27-year-old Spain midfielder has become a key figure since Mourinho arrived in the summer even though he was understood to have reservations about how he would fit in under the Portuguese coach.
United are keen to reward Herrera with a new contract and plan to open talks with the player and his representatives before the start of next season.
Herrera has just over a year left on the deal he agreed after signing from Athletic Bilbao for £29million in the summer of 2014, although United have an option to extend it by another 12 months.
The club do not expect any problems in negotiating new terms with the player’s camp, and Herrera said in February that he would be happy to begin contract talks.
As he prepared to face Anderlecht in Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final second leg at Old Trafford, Herrera thanked Mourinho for his support but insisted that the praise for his performances would not go to his head.
He said: ‘This season has been the most regular one for me at the club and that is with Mourinho on the bench. I am very happy.
‘He gave me, from the first day, a lot of confidence and he told me I was going to be an important player for him.
‘I will always be thankful but football changes. We have great players and Manchester United has the capacity to sign big players, so I cannot sleep.
‘Nobody will remember this part of the season if I don’t perform well at the end. I am happy but I am not finished yet.
‘I want to give everything for the manager and I don’t look back. I just look forward. The next month and a half is the most important time of my career. That is the way I see football.
‘When everyone is telling you you’re having a great season, you’re having a very good game, you’re playing very well, I don’t think it is good for yourself so I don’t listen too much.
‘I want to be focused on what is coming and that is very important. I want to play in the Champions League next season.’
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