Ander Herrera

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Herrera and the second or maternal family name is Agüera.
Ander Herrera

Herrera playing for Manchester United in 2014
Personal information
Full name Ander Herrera Agüera[1]
Date of birth (1989-08-14) 14 August 1989
Place of birth Bilbao, Spain
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Manchester United
Number 21
Youth career
2004–2008 Real Zaragoza
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2009 Real Zaragoza B 10 (2)
2009–2011 Real Zaragoza 82 (6)
2011–2014 Athletic Bilbao 94 (7)
2014– Manchester United 63 (9)
National team‡
2009 Spain U20 10 (3)
2009–2011 Spain U21 15 (4)
2012 Spain U23 5 (0)
2016– Spain 1 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 27 November 2016.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 15 November 2016

Ander Herrera Agüera (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈandeɾ eˈreɾa aˈɣweɾa]; born 14 August 1989) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Manchester United and the Spain national team.

He began his career at Real Zaragoza before moving to Athletic Bilbao in 2011, and then to Manchester United for €36 million in 2014.

He has won tournaments with Spain at under-20 and under-21 level and represented the nation at the 2012 Olympics. He made his senior international debut in November 2016.

Club career

Real Zaragoza

Born in Bilbao, Herrera began his football career at Real Zaragoza, and made his professional debut in the Segunda División in the 2008–09 season. He made 19 appearances that season as the Aragonese club made an immediate return to La Liga. He made his top-flight debut on 29 August 2009, in a 1–0 home win against CD Tenerife.[3]

During the 2009–10 campaign, Herrera was one of Zaragoza's most used players as the club managed to retain its top-flight status. He scored his first league goal on 6 December, but in a 4–1 away defeat to RCD Mallorca.[4]

In 2010–11, Herrera continued to feature regularly for Zaragoza, under both José Aurelio Gay and his successor Javier Aguirre.

Athletic Bilbao

On 7 February 2011, he agreed to join Athletic Bilbao on a five-year contract for a reported €7.5 million effective as of 1 July. Buyout clauses were set at €36 million in his first three seasons and €40 million in the remainder.[5]

Herrera made his official debut for Athletic on 18 August 2011, playing the full 90 minutes in a 0–0 home draw against Trabzonspor in the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League. He appeared in 54 official matches in his first year with the Basque club (four goals), who reached both the Copa del Rey and the Europa League finals.

Manchester United

Herrera was the subject of a £24 million offer from Manchester United in August 2013, but the bid was rejected by Athletic Bilbao.[6] A year later, Manchester United tried to sign him again. On 26 June 2014, Athletic Bilbao announced on their official website that they had rejected a €36 million (£28.85 million) bid from Manchester United for Herrera.[7] Athletic Bilbao later confirmed that Herrera had activated his buyout clause, allowing United to sign him.[8] Manchester United announced on the same day they had completed the signing of Herrera on a four-year contract pending the receipt of an International Transfer Certificate.[9]

2014–15 season

Herrera made his Manchester United debut on 23 July 2014 in the first match of the club's pre-season tour of the United States, playing the full 90 minutes and making three assists in the 7–0 win over LA Galaxy.[10] His competitive debut came in the opening game of the Premier League season on 16 August, a 2–1 home defeat to Swansea City. He played 67 minutes before being substituted for Marouane Fellaini.[11] Herrera picked up an injury during training and missed Manchester United's next two games against Sunderland and Burnley.[12] In his first game back after returning from injury, against Queens Park Rangers on 14 September 2014, he scored his first goal for the club and made an assist as Manchester United won the game 4-0.[13] He scored again in United's next game, flicking in Ángel Di María's shot with his backheel in their 5–3 defeat to newly promoted Leicester City on 21 September.[14]

Herrera provided an assist to Van Persie against Hull City on 29 November in a 3–0 win and was then awarded man of the match for his brilliant performance. He provided another assist to Marouane Fellani in a 2–1 win against Stoke City on 2 December 2014.[15] Herrera scored his first FA Cup goal with a dipping effort in a third round tie against Yeovil Town on 4 January 2015.[16] Herrera followed his cup goal against Yeovil with an important equalising goal against Preston North End in the FA Cup fifth round; United would go on to win the tie 3–1 and progress to the quarter final stage.[17] Herrera started a Premier League game for the first time since 2 December against Swansea City, scoring United's only goal – his fifth of the season – in a 2–1 defeat.[18] On 22 March 2015, he provided an assist for Juan Mata's goal in a 2–1 win over Liverpool.[19] The following fixture, Herrera scored the first brace of his career to help United beat Aston Villa 3–1; he was also named man of the match for his performances.[20]

2015–16 season

On 26 August 2015, Herrera in his first start of the season, provided an assist for Wayne Rooney's second goal and scored the fourth goal in a 4–0 win (7–1 aggregate) over Belgian side Club Brugge in the second leg of their Champions League play-off.[21] He scored his second goal of the season from the penalty spot in Manchester United's 3–1 home win over Liverpool on 12 September.[22]

2016–17 season

Herrera's role initially remained limited to substitute appearances under new manager, José Mourinho, with Marouane Fellaini preferred in midfield alongside club record signing Paul Pogba. Herrera did, however, start in United's League Cup third round tie versus Northampton Town, and duly registered his first goal of the 2016–17 campaign in his side's 3–1 victory.[23] He was subsequently retained in the starting lineup for the Premier League game against champions Leicester City, and helped his side register a comfortable 4–1 win.[24] Herrera was roundly lauded for his performances both against Leicester City and in the games that followed, and was named man of the match for helping Manchester United restrict free-scoring Liverpool to a 0-0 draw at Anfield.[25][26]

International career

Herrera playing for Spain U21s in 2011

Herrera was a member of the Spain under-20 squad which won gold in football at the 2009 Mediterranean Games in Pescara, Italy.[27]

Herrera was selected by Spanish under-21 coach Luis Milla to the 2011 UEFA European Championship in Denmark. On 12 June, in the group stage opener against England, he scored a controversial goal in an eventual 1–1 draw.[28] In the final against Switzerland, through another header, Herrera netted the first goal in an eventual 2–0 win in Aarhus.[29]

He received his first senior call-up on 3 October 2016, for 2018 World Cup qualification fixtures against Italy and Albania, but did not feature in either game.[30] He made his senior international debut against England, at Wembley Stadium, on 15 November 2016, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 2–2 draw.[31]

Style of play

Herrera's style of play led to comparisons with former United legend Paul Scholes,[32][33] and was praised by the man himself as United's best signing.[34]

Personal life

Herrera's father, Pedro María, was also a footballer and a midfielder. He too played for Zaragoza and also for Celta de Vigo (in a total of three professional clubs), and at both clubs he served as general manager.[35][36] His girlfriend is Isabel Collado.[37]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 30 November 2016[38][39]
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Real Zaragoza B 2008–09 102––––102
Real Zaragoza 2008–09 19200–––192
2009–10 30220–––322
2010–11 33220–––352
Total 82640–––866
Athletic Bilbao 2011–12 32192–131–544
2012–13 29120–41–352
2013–14 33560–––395
Total 947172–172–12811
Manchester United 2014–15 2665200––318
2015–16 273601072–415
2016–17 10000312010161
Total 6391124192108814
Career total 24924324412641031233

International

As of match played 15 November 2016[40]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Spain 201610
Total10

Honours

Club

Manchester United[39]

International

Spain U21[39]
Spain U20[39]

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Squads for 2016/17 Premier League confirmed". Premier League. 1 September 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  2. ↑ "Barclays Premier League Player Profile Ander Herrera". Premier League. 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  3. ↑ "El Zaragoza regresa a Primera con Victoria" [Zaragoza returns to Primera with win] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 29 August 2009. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  4. ↑ Mallorca maintain home run; ESPN Soccernet, 6 December 2009
  5. ↑ Athletic confirm Herrera deal; ESPN Soccernet, 7 February 2011
  6. ↑ "Manchester United move for Ander Herrera and 'bid for Daniele De Rossi'". The Guardian. 30 August 2013. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  7. ↑ "Rechazada oferta del Manchester United" [Offer from Manchester United dismissed] (in Spanish). athletic-club.net. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  8. ↑ "Herrera pays release clause". athletic-club.net (Athletic Bilbao). 26 June 2014. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  9. ↑ "Club statement on Ander Herrera". Manchester United F.C. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  10. ↑ Stone, Simon (24 July 2014). "Man Utd beat LA Galaxy: Louis van Gaal off to winning start". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  11. ↑ Bevan, Chris (16 August 2014). "Man Utd 1–2 Swansea". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  12. ↑ "Marouane Fellaini and Ander Herrera face injury scans". BBC Sport. 23 August 2014. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  13. ↑ "Man Utd 4–0 QPR". BBC Sport. 14 September 2014. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  14. ↑ "Leicester City fought back from 3–1 down to secure a stunning victory over a defensively frail Manchester United.". BBC Sport. 21 September 2014. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
  15. ↑ Jurejko, Jonathan (2 December 2014). "Man Utd 2–1 Stoke". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  16. ↑ McNulty, Phil (4 January 2015). "Yeovil 0–2 Man Utd". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  17. ↑ "Preston 1–3 Man Utd". BBC Sport. 16 February 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  18. ↑ Pritchard, Dafydd (21 February 2015). "Swansea 2–1 Man Utd". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  19. ↑ Parker, Paul (23 March 2015). "Juan Mata, Ander Herrera and Michael Carrick key to Man United success". ESPN FC. Entertainment and Sports Programming Network. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  20. ↑ Emons, Michael (4 April 2015). "Manchester United 3–1 Aston Villa". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  21. ↑ Mitten, Andy (26 August 2015). "Wayne Rooney hits hat trick, Man United into Champions League groups". ESPN FC. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
  22. ↑ McNulty, Phil (12 September 2015). "Man Utd 3-1 Liverpool". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  23. ↑ "Northampton Town 1-3 Manchester United". BBC Sport. 2016-09-21. Retrieved 2016-10-19.
  24. ↑ "Manchester United 4-1 Leicester City". BBC Sport. 2016-09-24. Retrieved 2016-10-19.
  25. ↑ "Jose Mourinho: This Man United star will be with me almost every match". Dailystar.co.uk. 2016-09-25. Retrieved 2016-10-19.
  26. ↑ "Liverpool 0-0 Manchester United". BBC Sport. 2016-10-17. Retrieved 2016-10-19.
  27. 1 2 ITA – ESP 1:2 (0:0) Archived 15 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine.; Pescara 2009, 4 July 2009
  28. ↑ Spain U21 1–1 England U21; BBC Sport, 12 June 2011
  29. ↑ Spain crowned European Under-21 champions; UEFA.com, 25 June 2011
  30. ↑ "Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera gets first full Spain call-up". Daily Mail. 3 October 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  31. ↑ "England 2-2 Spain: Late Isco equaliser denies Gareth Southgate's side". Sky Sports. 15 November 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  32. ↑ "Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera: Paul Scholes was a one-off". Manchester Evening News. 21 April 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  33. ↑ "Man United's Ander Herrera insists Paul Scholes is a 'one-off' following comparisons between them". Daily Mirror. 21 April 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  34. ↑ "Scholes: Ander Herrera has been Manchester United's best summer signing". Manchester Evening News. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  35. ↑ Ander Herrera se emancipa (Ander Herrera comes of age); El País, 16 June 2011 (Spanish)
  36. ↑ "El padre de Ander ya ganó una final al Barça en el Calderón" [Ander's father already won a final to Barça at the Calderón] (in Spanish). Marca. 24 May 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
  37. ↑ "Herrera goes for dip after revealing long-term plans at Old Trafford". Mail Online. Retrieved 2015-10-19.
  38. ↑ Athletic Bilbao profile
  39. 1 2 3 4 "Ander Herrera". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  40. ↑ "Ander Herrera". eu-football.info. Retrieved 16 November 2016.

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