Ander Herrera is willing to be patient for his chance to establish himself for Manchester United as the midfielder has struggled for regular game time under Louis van Gaal.
Since being signed in the summer for £29m the Spaniard has made only six Premier League starts, scoring twice. Yet, despite the last of these coming nearly two months ago, in a 2-1 win over Stoke City on 2 December at Old Trafford, Herrera said: “When the manager wants me to help the team I am going to be ready, of course. I am at Manchester United and we have a very good squad with very good players and it is not easy but of course I am going to work hard.
“I’m going to be ready always for the team because everyone wants to play the next season in the Champions League and of course I want to play.”
Herrera will hope the muscular injury suffered by Michael Carrick this week, set to keep him out for a month, may give him a chance, with Leicester City visitors on Saturday afternoon.
Of Herrera’s fellow countryman, David de Gea, the goalkeeper who is interesting Real Madrid and is yet to sign a fresh deal, he said: “David is improving every season – every season he gets better and better. We are lucky to have David in the team now. In the first part of the league, I think he has been very, very important with his saves and his football.”
