Manchester United are reportedly set to offer midfielder Ander Herrera a new contract in a bid to fend off interest from Barcelona.
The 27-year-old was a pivotal figure for Jose Mourinho this past season, making 50 appearances in all competitions, scoring twice and providing 11 assists while also playing a fundamental overall role in midfield.
In turn, given his importance to the team, it’s no surprise that United are keen to sign him to a new long-term contract, with The Sun reporting that he will be offered double his current £90,000-a-week deal to prolong his stay at Old Trafford, with just one year remaining on his current contract.
The contract process has been sped up by reports that Barcelona are keen on the Spaniard, and that comes due to the fact that Ernesto Valverde, Herrera’s coach at Athletic Bilbao, has landed the top job with the Catalan giants and has been eyeing a reunion.
However, while the Red Devils have an option to extend his stay for another 12 months, they’ll be looking to put in place a new agreement before the players return for pre-season training which will quickly eliminate talk of a possible exit.
There is also a claim in the report from the Sun that Mourinho sees the Spanish international as a future captain for the club, but it remains to be seen whether or not he’s handed the armband next season as it may or may not be up for grabs depending on Wayne Rooney’s situation.
All in all, it sounds like United are ready to secure Herrera’s future, and provided that Barca’s interest is genuine, then it looks as though Valverde will have to divert his attention elsewhere to bolster the club’s midfield.