Manchester United are suffering a difficult season thus far and fingers are being pointed not just at the team on the pitch but at the club's hierarchy - and one former star has revealed his heartbreaking exit
Ander Herrera during his time at Man United, with Juan Mata, Romelu Lukaku and Jesse Lingard
Ander Herrera during his time at Man United, with Juan Mata, Romelu Lukaku and Jesse Lingard
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Ander Herrera has revealed the moment he decided to leave Manchester United - after club chiefs left him heartbroken.
The Spanish midfielder spent five years at United, winning four trophies, including the FA Cup. At the end of his third season at Old Trafford, he won the club's Player of the Year award.
With a year left on his deal, Herrera, then 27, was ready for talks with the club over extending his stay and committing his future to United. Instead, But he was left heartbroken when United bosses did nothing.
Instead, the club wrote him a letter declaring that they would merely be taking up the 12-month option in his contract. That move left Herrera so upset that he decided to walk away on a free transfer, to join Paris Saint Germain.
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"After my third season, when I won the 'Player of the Year' award, I expected the club to come to me," revealed Herrera, speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast. "I said to my agent, 'whatever they offer is going to be OK. I'm going to sign because I want to stay at United. I'm so happy.
"They didn't come, so I started to feel sad. And I remember what killed me is when they sent me that letter saying we are going to renew automatically your fifth season at the club.
"They didn't even call me to say, 'Ander, we want you to stay'. They sent me a letter. When I received that letter I thought, 'I'm done'. My heart was already a little bit broken."
READ MORE: Roy Keane pinpoints how Bruno Fernandes and Harry Maguire lost control of Man United dressing room
Despite how his time in Manchester ended, Herrera continues to keep tabs on United from afar, watching the club currently in the midst of a woeful run of six games without a win, leaving Michael Carrick feeling the heat.
However, Herrera believes Carrick is the right man for the job and will bring success back to a club who last won the Premier League in 2013.
He said: "We have to give him time because, as I told you before, the Premier League that I found was not the same Premier League that you found. And Michael, when he got in charge, the Premier League now is not top four, top five. It's almost top eight.
"So I think we have to give time to the coaches, to the managers, to build something, to create something. And I think Carrick is the man. I want him to be the man, but I also believe he is the man to bring trophies to the club.
"I don't know if he will win the Premier League in two or three years, but he is going to be there. He's going to be competing. I'm sure of that."
Herrera was part of the United side that won the Europa League in 2017
Herrera was part of the United side that won the Europa League in 2017(Image: 2017 Manchester United FC)
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Herrera also believes Bruno Fernandes deserves more respect. The Manchester United skipper has copped some criticism following United's mediocre start to the season, with just two wins in nine games.
But Herrera has leapt to the Portuguese playmaker's defence, believing he deserves much more gratitude for carrying the team on his back in recent seasons.
"For me, he's a leader. He has had Manchester United on his back a lot of years, a lot of seasons. Sometimes playing, I'm not going to say alone, but carrying the history of the club on his shoulders.
"In difficult times he was there, always putting his face there, asking for the ball, scoring goals, assisting. After defeats, going to the media to talk. I have huge respect for him, for what he has done for the club. And he could have left the club and he's still there, putting his face in difficult moments and he deserves credit. A lot of credit.
"How can Bruno be the problem? He has been a solution a lot of times."
Head to the Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel to watch the full interview.
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