Why Ander Herrera should still be Manchester United’s No. 1 target

Ander Herrera

With the departures of Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill in the summer, a good transfer window was essential. Instead, Manchester United spent August like a desperate man exposing himself to women in the park then mystified as to a lack of success with the ladies. During that time, the United hierarchy tried, and failed, to woo Leighton Baines, Thiago Alcantara, Luka Modric, Cesc Fabregas and Sami Khedira.

In the very final hours of the window, the club made last-minute approaches for Ander Herrera and Fabio Coentrao. Somewhat predictably, both were turned down. Arsenal, a club without a trophy in almost a decade, managed to ensnare Mesut Ozil, one of the most exciting players in Europe. The reigning champions had to make do with Marouane Fellaini, David Moyes’ former charge at Everton, for a ludicrously inflated price. His performances thus far have done little to justify the £27.5 million price tag.

It is essential that United go back again in January for Herrera. Reinforcements are desperately needed if the club are serious about competing for the league and Champions League in these years immediately following the retirement of Ferguson. There is no doubt that the 24-year old midfielder has his flaws. He tends to play just behind the forward in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Despite this, he has only managed two goals in 68 appearances for Athletic Bilbao. On top of this, his disciplinary record is unenviable, with 12 yellow cards and two reds last season. He has struggled to maintain a place in the team but there is the possibility that his head is not in the right place after coming so close to leaving the club in the summer.

For all this, Herrera is precisely the kind of player United require at this moment in time. He can play as a defensive or central midfielder, as well as just behind the frontman. More crucially, he is capable of that final ball so often lacking this season. A player of Herrera’s ilk in the side could be the difference between competing for a place in the top four and challenging for the title, particularly with so many of the big teams struggling to find any kind of consistency.

United fans know all too well exactly what the young Spaniard is capable of. In 2012, the Manchester giants were comprehensively outclassed by Bilbao in the Europa League over two legs. That season, the Basques were one of the most popular teams in Europe as a result of their entertaining, attacking style of play. Two of that team’s finest players, Javi Martinez and Fernando Llorente, have since left the club for pastures new. The expectation was that Herrera would follow suit, and yet he remained in Spain, for the time being at least.

United have failed to address their midfield deficiencies for years now. Signing Fellaini should be viewed as the start of this process, not the end. In January, United must return for Herrera after leaving things too late in August. Time ran out on the transfer that window, but, if they fail to recruit the next time around, it might run out on their hopes of success this season. The powers that be must not allow that to happen.