How much Louis van Gaal's first Man Utd signing is worth now after £29m transfer fee
Ander Herrera became Louis van Gaal's first signing at Manchester United in a big money move, but the Spaniard's market value has taken a dip in the past decade
Ander Herrera was Louis van Gaal's first bit of business at Manchester United (Image: Photo by Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Louis van Gaal forked out a whopping £29million on his first Manchester United signing. The Dutchman took over from Ryan Giggs in May 2014 after David Moyes' short-lived tenure, determined to restore the Red Devils to glory.
His first signing of choice was Ander Herrera in June, who was snapped up from Athletic Club for a hefty fee. But fast forward ten years and the midfielder’s value has taken a nosedive to a measly £2.5m.
The Bilbao-based club initially rejected United's bid for the then-24-year-old, before Herrera activated a clause in his contract which allowed him to leave for Old Trafford. "Signing for Manchester United is a dream come true,” Herrera said after sealing his four-year deal.
“I have joined United to do all I can to help the team reach the club's objectives. Having arrived on Tuesday, I'm excited to now be living in Manchester and I can't wait for my first game in United's famous red shirt."
The Spanish maestro first caught the attention of the United hierarchy in a Europa League clash between the Red Devils and Athletic Club back in 2012. The La Liga side stunned United on that occasion, clinching a 3-2 victory at Old Trafford in the first leg of their Round of 16 tie.
Athletic Club won the second leg 2-1 at home, sending the European giants crashing out of the tournament in an astonishing upset. Herrera was instrumental to Bilbao's impressive showing, prompting Van Gaal to insist on securing the talented midfielder’s services.
Herrera impressed United after his side knocked them out of the Europa League (Image: Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Throughout his time at United, Herrera racked up 189 appearances, scored 20 goals and provided 27 assists. It was announced that he would bid farewell to the club at the end of the 2018/19 season.
The midfielder won the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award in 2017 to complement his FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League winners’ medals. Ahead of his exit, Herrera said: "Playing for the greatest club in England has been a true honour. Every time I represented this club, in every game, in wins and losses, even when I couldn't help from the grass, I understood what this club means."
Herrera signed for Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, before being loaned back to his boyhood club in 2022. He eventually sealed a permanent return to Bilbao in the January transfer window last year, where the 34-year-old will continue to play his football next season.
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Ander Herrera is now back at Athletic Bilbao (Image: Getty)
Now 34, Herrera has seen his market value plummet to a mere £2.5m, according to TransferMarkt, which is a far cry from his peak valuation of £29m in 2014.
Over the course of the 2023/24 La Liga season, Herrera made 23 appearances and notched three assists but failed to find the back of the net. His last start came in a 2-0 victory over Sevilla on May 19, before being left on the bench for the season finale.
