Barcelona explore winter move for Manchester United midfielder

Spanish giants Barcelona could reportedly make a winter attempt to sign Manchester United contract rebel Ander Herrera. The 28-year-old is currently in the final year of his Red Devils deal, and talks over an extension appear to have reached a standstill.

According to Don Balon, the Catalan giants are eyeing a January approach for Ander Herrera, who is seen as a potential candidate to succeed Andres Iniesta. The Spain international recently penned a lifetime contract with the Camp Nou outfit, but manager Ernesto Valverde is still looking into a suitable option with the World Cup winner approaching the twilight of his career.

Herrera worked alongside Valverde at Athletic Bilbao for a single season prior to his Old Trafford move in 2014, and the manager is apparently keen on luring him back to La Liga with the promise of regular first-team football.

The versatile midfielder has just eight months running on his present contract, but United have the option of triggering a one-year clause in his contract (ManUtd.com) which will keep him in Manchester until the summer of 2019.

Herrera was voted as the club’s Player of the Year for the 2016/17 season, but he has not managed to start the current campaign in the same fashion with Jose Mourinho preferring the likes of Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba and Marouane Fellaini ahead of him in the pecking order.

Nevertheless, he has had his slice of luck with injuries to both Paul Pogba and Marouane Fellaini helping him gain regular gametime alongside Matic in central midfield.

With the World Cup coming along, the Spaniard would no doubt want a consistent run of games, and this is something which is not a guarantee, once Pogba and Fellaini return to first-team action.

Manchester United endured an embarrassing situation as a whole on Saturday after they suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at the hands of newcomers Huddersfield Town in the Premier League.

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