Manchester United star Ander Herrera has hailed Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde amid rumours he is being lined up for a move to the Nou Camp.
Herrera has made 137 appearances for the Red Devils since his debut back in 2014 but the 28-year-old midfielder is being heavily linked with a transfer to La Liga in the new year.
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It’s understood both Atletico Madrid and Barca are expressing a strong interest in Herrera, with the Spain international out of contract at Old Trafford at the end of the 2017/18 campaign.
Asked about his former Athletic Bilbao boss Valverde, Herrera told Panenka: ‘I feel a great admiration for Valverde.
‘He shows that you can be a great coach while being a very great person.’
The Spaniard lifted the lid on his relationship with Jose Mourinho, with the Portuguese desperate to get him on a new deal at Old Trafford.
‘You can talk about everything with Jose and he is much closer than he seems in front of media,’ Herrera said.
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‘He assumes that role to remove pressure on the players and protect the team.
‘I prefer to be 16th in league and win the Europa League than just being 2nd. He realised in time [last season] and told us that we would go for it.’
Manchester United 2017/18 Fixtures
Newcastle United (H) – Sat 18 Nov
Basel (A) – Wed 22 Nov (Champions League)
Brighton (H) – Sat 25 Nov
Watford (A) – Tue 28 Nov
Arsenal (A) – Sat Dec 2
CSKA Moscow (H) – Tues Dec 5 (Champions League)
Manchester City (H) – Sun Dec 10
West Bromwich Albion (A) – Sun Dec 17
Bristol City (A) – Wed Dec 20 (EFL Cup)
Leicester City (A) – Sat Dec 23
Burnley (H) – Tues Dec 26
Southampton (H) – Sat Dec 30
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