Herrera: A player at the heart of the action
A versatile, technical, precise and intelligent midfielder, Ander Herrera is the first Parisian recruit for the 2019/20 season. The Basque will bring all his experience and vision to the heart of the Rouge-et-Bleu's play.
Born in Bilbao, it was at Real Zaragoza that Herrera made his pro debut in the Spanish second division during the 2008/09 season. After helping his club finish runners-up in his debut campaign, he then played two seasons in the top flight, totalling 67 appearances (4 goals, 3 assists), while also winning the 2011 UEFA U21 EURO with Spain, scoring in a 2-0 win over Switzerland in the final and being named in the Team of the Tournament. His performances got him noticed by his hometown club.
After joining Athletic Bilbao, he quickly became a key member of the squad. His first season was a success, in spite of the club's tenth-placed finish in La Liga. Herrera played 54 competitive games (4 goals, 10 assists), including 13 in the UEFA Europa League (1 goal, 1 assist) before losing 3-0 to Atletico Madrid in the final.
There were two more seasons with the Rojiblancos before leaving at the end of the 2013/14 season in which Athletic qualified for the UEFA Champions League with a fourth-placed finish. In three seasons, he made a total of 128 appearances, scoring 11 goals and providing 18 assists. It was more than enough to convince Manchester United to sign him.
He built his list of honours with the Red Devils, playing with Angel Di Maria for a season at Old Trafford. After winning the FA Cup and Community Shield in 2016, he completed a League Cup-UEFA Europa League double in 2017. He was even named Man of the Match of the Europa League final win against Ajax, a sign of the consistency he showed during his time at United, making an average of 38 appearances per season and completing more passes than any other United player (5911) during his time at the club.
Five seasons later, Ander Herrera has crossed the Channel to join Paris Saint-Germain. Playing further up the pitch than he did at the start of his career, the Spain international (2 caps) has shown his ability to adapt to different styles of play throughout his career. He is also able to vary his game playing short or long passes with equal ease, can play in a box-to-box role or be solid defensively. He promises to be a real asset for the capital club, who are now looking forward to seeing their new midfielder in action.