ANDER HERRERA SAYS he expects to remain at Manchester United beyond this season, unless the club decide to replace him.
The midfielder has spent four seasons with the Premier League side and is approaching the final 12 months of his current contract.
Although they can still finish the season with a trophy when they take on Chelsea in today’s FA Cup final, a weak challenge for the Premier League title — finishing 19 points behind Manchester City — means United could invest heavily in the squad ahead of next season.
Herrera has been a key player since joining from Athletic Bilbao in 2014, but started just 13 of his 26 appearances in the league this season. Still, he does not expect to lose his place in the squad any time soon.
“My future is the FA Cup final. I want to be here next season and unless the club sack me, I will be here in pre-season and fight to keep adding games to my total,” he said, as quoted by The Guardian.
“In football, what today is black is tomorrow white. So if you think about what can happen in the summer, maybe the club signs four midfielders and they don’t want me any more.
“The only thing I can do is train well today and train well tomorrow. That’s all I can say – and of course if the club wants to talk to me [to extend his contract, which runs out in June 2019] I will listen to them because I am happy here.”
The 28-year-old says he is used to being in and out of the United squad and can deal with the disappointment of being left out by Jose Mourinho.
“I don’t think if you don’t take your chance it’s the last chance you have in the season,” he said. “I don’t go crazy when I don’t have my best game and say: ‘Oof, I’ve lost my chance, I’m not going to play again’.
“I know some of my team-mates, and some footballers, are up and down. If I play well I’m not very happy and if I play badly I’m not very sad. My age and experience has helped me keep that balance.
“If you work hard and respect the ones who are playing at that moment but try to give everything you have, whether that’s five minutes or 30 minutes, sooner or later football is fair. I really believe that.”
