LONDON. — Manchester United still expect to sign Athletic Bilbao midfielder Ander Herrera despite having a £29m bid rejected by the Spanish club.
United have met the release clause in Herrera’s contract, but Bilbao are thought to be reluctant to sanction the sale of a home-grown Basque player.
The English Premier League club failed to buy the 24-year-old on transfer deadline day last summer but incoming United manager Louis van Gaal has revived the deal.
It had been anticipated United would complete the first signing of Van Gaal’s reign this week.
However, the club are reluctant to put a timescale on the deal going ahead as they await developments in what they feel is a dispute between Bilbao-born Herrera and the La Liga outfit.
“Athletic want to announce that they have this week rejected an offer from Manchester United, of around 36m euros, for the transfer of the economic and federative rights of the player Ander Herrera,” a statement read.
United will be keen for the transfer not to drag on too long, though, with pre-season training due to begin next month, and the club starting a tour of the United States on July 18.
Until the arrival of Marouane Fellaini from Everton last summer, United had not signed a central midfield player for six years.
After the Belgian failed to score a single goal last season and Ryan Giggs retired to become Van Gaal’s assistant, United are keen to strengthen in that area.
With winger Antonio Valencia and defender Patrice Evra both given contract extensions, Van Gaal, who is currently in charge of the Netherlands at the World Cup in Brazil, is already having an input into the squad.
As yet though, there has been no fresh bid for Southampton left-back Luke Shaw, who was the subject of an offer from United prior to England’s World Cup campaign. — BBC Sport.