Herrera ‘very happy’ despite fringe role – reports

Ander Herrera is expected to sign a new Manchester United contract despite being pushed to the fringes of the first team.

The Spanish midfielder has only started one Premier League game – the 1-1 draw with Stoke – and was left out of the match-day squad for the Champions League opener against FC Basel.

There has been speculation that Jose Mourinho is angry with Herrera for inviting an inappropriate friend to the training ground at the end of last season, but the Manchester Evening News claim there is no truth in those rumours.

They say that Herrera is ‘very happy’ at the club and is happy to sign a new contract on improved terms.

He came on in the 77th minute against Everton on Sunday before United streaked away to a 4-0 win.

“I think Ander was important,” Mourinho said. “He gave us the stability that we were losing a little bit and then was only possible, in my view, 1-0 or 2-0, I never thought in the last 15 or 20 minutes it could be 1-1.

“The 2-0 come and after that the third and fourth goals are just a consequence of a team that was sad and another team that was happy, for me the third and fourth goal were a little bit out of context in the game.”