Ander Herrera is one of the smartest players I have managed - Jose Mourinho

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has described Ander Herrera as “one of the smartest players” he’s ever coached.

The 27-year-old been a pivotal figure in the Portuguese tactician’s first season at Old Trafford which culminated by winning the Europa League.

It was during that final against Ajax the Spanish international produced a moment which greatly impressed his manager who made the detailed account while giving a recent lecture at the University of Lisbon.

“Mourinho talked a lot about Herrera, saying he is one of the smartest players he has had during his career,” wrote Petter Skogsletten, one of the students present, on Reddit.

“Herrera took hold of [Henrikh] Mkhitaryan and sent him in front of the keeper, while Herrera would take the pitch outside the box. Mourinho said he was so frustrated that he said ‘What the hell is going on?’

“It turned out Herrera had taken responsibility in the situation – Mkhitaryan had a yellow card. If Ajax suddenly counterattacked and Mkhitaryan had fouled the player, he would have been sent off.

“Mourinho said he is incredibly pleased to have such players who can handle situations on their own and adjust.”

Herrera belatedly joined the Red Devils in the summer of 2014 for a reported £30.6m after a prospective move from Athletic Bilbao broke down 12 months prior.

After a slow start under former boss Louis van Gaal he established himself as one of United’s most important midfielder a reputation he’s carried into Mourinho’s debut campaign.

Renowned for his tenacity and strong passing ability, Herrera is firmly a fan favorite among United’s vast legion of supporters and was recently named as the fans’ player of the season.

Widely considered a future captain, Herrera to date has made 122 appearances for the record 20-time English champions, registering 15 goals and 22 assists in the process.

Culled from: Squawka