Report: Ander Herrera Wants Manchester United Stay After Athletic Bilbao Talks

Ander Herrera reportedly decided against leaving Manchester United this summer after being approached by former club Athletic Bilbao.

According to El Correo's Javier Ortiz de Lazcano (h/t Naveen Ullal of Sport Witness), Athletic made contact with Herrera after receiving €80 million (£71 million) from Chelsea for Kepa Arrizabalaga.

However, the midfielder does not want to leave Old Trafford for his old club this summer, and it's also said manager Jose Mourinho would be reluctant to part with him now that the deadline for bringing in a replacement has passed.

Herrera looks set to play a back-up role behind Paul Pogba, Fred and Nemanja Matic at Old Trafford this season, but he's still an important player for United.

The midfielder provides energy and intensity in the centre of the park, and he's capable of producing some outstanding all-action performances:

He specialises in saving his best for United's biggest games For example, he was named man of the match in the UEFA Europa League final in 2017.

Football writer Liam Canning is a keen admirer of the Spain international:

What further endears him to United supporters is his unwavering winning mentality:

It's an attitude that perhaps not enough of his team-mates have shown at Old Trafford since former manager Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

He's not afraid to resort to the dark arts to give the team an edge, either, which makes him a nightmare for opponents to play against.

While Fred's arrival may see him start fewer games this season, he still has an important role to play for United.