Spaniard came close to moving to Old Trafford this month.
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Athletic Bilbao midfield player Ander Herrera says that he is still interested in signing for Premier League champions Manchester United when the transfer window reopens for business again in January, according to reports in the Daily Mail.
The former Spain Under-23 international was the subject of a £26 million bid by the Red Devils last week that was rejected out of hand by the Liga outfit, who told their counterparts from Old Trafford that the 24-year-old was valued at £30.5m, the cost of the player’s buy-out clause in his current contract at San Mames.
However, contrary to various reports in the British press on Monday, United did not return with an improved offer for Herrera on transfer deadline day, meaning the Spaniard is still a Bilbao player, for now at least.
Herrera, though, says that despite the collapse of his proposed move to the Premier League giants this summer, he is still keen to join United next year.
“A United offer came and I can only view that as a positive reflection on what I have been doing,” Herrera said.
“At no time, despite what anybody reported, did I undergo a medical for United nor did I sign any contract with them. As for the future, you never know what might happen.”
The midfield player, who has a contract with the Basques that currently runs until June 30 2016, has been with his home-town club since joining them from Real Zaragoza on a five-year deal in July 2011.
And in the intervening two-year period, Herrera has managed to find the back of the net on six occasions in total in his 89 appearances for Bilbao in all competitions.