da luck： As reported by The Daily Telegraph, Manchester United are set to extend the contracts of four first-team stars, including Ander Herrera, invoking clauses to keep them at the club until the summer of 2019.
What’s the story?
da dobrowin： A number of players’ contracts are up at the end of the season, leading to uncertain futures for a number of valuable assets at the Red Devils, but Jose Mourinho is said to be keen to protect their value and see them extend their stay at the club.
The Telegraph report that Ander Herrera, Daley Blind, Ashley Young and Juan Mata will all have their contracts extended to the end of next season, to fend off potential January interest.
It now gives Mourinho breathing room to decide what to do with the first-teamers at the end of the season, rather than have their situations disrupt their ambitions in January.
Long-term future
While the futures of Ashley Young, Daley Blind and to a certain extent Juan Mata are less clear at United, Ander Herrera is a player that undoubtedly can play an important role at the club in the years to come.
The Spaniard has made close to 150 appearances for the Red Devils since joining in 2014 and adds something unique to Jose Mourinho’s midfield, even if he is slightly behind in the pecking order this term.
Midfielders with his technical ability don’t come along very often and although not the most creative of players, he can provide a defensive stability that allows the likes of Paul Pogba to get forward.
Protecting his value, he is rated at £27m by Transfermarkt, is clearly the right step and even if none of these players have a long-term future at the club, United are at least in a strong position in the transfer market.