Top 10 Manchester United signings of the decade

#4 Ander Herrera (£29 million from Athletic Bilbao in 2014)

If not for injuries, Ander Herrera could have truly gone down as a club legend at United. As it is, he’s probably the player that United miss the most this season, even though players like Alexis Sanchez and Lukaku left in the summer.

Few stars could match the Basque midfielder in terms of the passion and drive he showed on the pitch. He was a player who truly played for the badge, and that made him one of the best players at the club.

He possesses a little bit of everything – tackling, speed, stamina, dribbling, and passing. Herrera contributed equally to defense and attack, and United never quite had another player like him during his time at the club.

He formed great partnerships with Michael Carrick, Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic during his time at United. When Solskjær was appointed, Herrera was one of the first names on the teamsheet.

His performance towards the second half of last season didn’t go unnoticed. With his contract expiring in the summer, the club hierarchy hesitated in offering him an improved renewal, and PSG were circling.

The French champions, who themselves had a very thin midfield, snapped up the 29-year-old on a free transfer.

Although he might not always have been first choice, Herrera never gave below 100% when he was on the pitch. He even broke David de Gea’s monopoly on the club’s Player of the Season award, winning it in 2017.

Even with Fred and Scott McTominay stepping up this season, United have missed him. Midfield is one of the positions that Solskjær will be keen on reinforcing in January, but replacing Herrera will be far from easy.