According to a report by the Manchester Evening Standard on Friday, October 16, 2026, even though he was named Manchester United's Player of the Year for the 2016–17 campaign, Ander Herrera, a former midfielder for the club, has spoken out about how disappointed he was with the way the club handled his contract situation.

After a successful five-year stint with Athletic Club, the Spanish midfielder moved on to Manchester United in 2014. He thought he would be rewarded with a new contract after winning the club's Player of the Year award for his outstanding performances.

Herrera told Rio Ferdinand on Rio Meets that he was eager to accept any contract offer from Manchester United and that he was very happy there. But when United didn't even bother to ask him about extending his stay, his enthusiasm quickly faded.

According to Herrera, he checked in with his agent multiple times to see if the club had made any headway on a new deal, but he never heard back. When Manchester United finally wrote to him to activate the fifth year of his current contract, his annoyance level rose.

Upon reflection, Herrera acknowledged the emotional toll of the situation, explaining that he had hoped for a face-to-face meeting with the club to discuss his future instead of a letter.

The ex-midfielder also remembered arguing with Ed Woodward, the former executive vice-chairman of Manchester United, about the issue. Herrera demanded to know why the club hadn't set up a one-on-one meeting to talk about his contract.

Herrera played in 189 games for Manchester United across all competitions, tallying 20 goals and 27 assists. He stayed for five years before leaving in 2019 as a free agent to sign with Paris Saint-Germain.