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Ander Herrera can spark revivals for two fallen giants of football next season.

The 24-year-old Basque country-born midfielder is set to become Louis van Gaal’s first signing as he looks to revolutionise the Reds following the disastrous David Moyes era that saw the club slump from 2013 title winners to seventh spot in the Premier League, exiting Europe in the process.

Athletic Bilbao’s engine-room driver Herrera missed out on Spain’s World Cup as manager Vicente del Bosque showed faith with the majority of the squad that had produced an astonishing haul of two European Championships in 2008 and 2012 with the World Cup success at South Africa 2010 sandwiched between.

But, like the Reds, the Spaniards were heading for a fall in Brazil and became the first holders to be knocked out at the group stage. Former United midfielder Quinton Fortune, who played in Spain for Atletico Madrid before moving to Old Trafford in 1999, has been an expert analyst on Sky’s Revista de la Liga programme and has watched the development of Herrera.

Now Fortune insists the £29m player is ready to help launch a comeback for both club and country.

“Honestly, he is going to be an unbelievable signing for Manchester United. This guy is a really good player,” Fortune told MEN Sport.

“I was really disappointed when United didn’t sign him last summer because I have been watching him for two or three years now and have been pushing his name for United to sign because I have been really impressed with him.

“He can do everything. He can attack, he can spray passes around the field, if you ask him to a defensive job for the side he will do it.

“He is mobile, can score goals and creates so much for his team-mates. He has got a bit of everything in his game and the great thing is he is a team player.He is just what United need.

“The fans will love him at Old Trafford. Apart from everything else they’ll love the fact he puts in a shift.”

Marouane Fellaini arrived last summer with a similar price tag and found the fee and transition from Everton to United a difficult journey.

But Fortune has no fears that Herrera will become another victim of the overwhelming pressure at Old Trafford.

“Believe me, when you play for Athletic Bilbao in the Basque country and handle that, you can handle anything,” Fortune said.

“It is a tough part of Spain in that northern part and they have high demands on Basque players at their club. There is a tough mentality among the people up there and if you can please them, as Ander has done over the years, then you can please most people.

“It won’t be a problem for him at United. I think he’ll settle down very quickly. You have Juan Mata and David de Gea in the squad already to help him and the one thing that hasn’t changed about United’s dressing room down the years is that it is a very welcoming environment.

“The fee won’t worry Ander. He’ll just get on with his football. I expect him to rise to the challenges.”

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Herrera was one of the star’s of Spain’s 2011 European Championship success in Denmark.

He scored against England in the group stages and also in the final success against Switzerland. His performances earned him a place in UEFA’s Team of the Tournament.

However, he has yet to be capped for the full Spanish squad but Fortune believes his time is around the corner after the World Cup demise.

“I was a bit surprised that Herrera didn’t make Spain’s World Cup 23 because he is certainly one of the young up-and- coming Spanish players,” said the ex-Red.

“But you can understand Vicente del Bosque respecting the players who had brought the country so much European and World success over the last eight years.

“Xavi and Iniesta have dominated for Barcelona and Spain so you are not going to overlook them.

“It will be a very different story from now on after such a disappointing World Cup. It is going to be a new era for the country. There will be changes, obviously, and I think Ander Herrera will be one of the first names in a new-look Spain squad when the Euro 2016 qualifiers start next season.

“I think he is going to be the heart of the Spanish squad and team for many years to come and, of course, I think that also goes for United. He is going to be a big success at Old Trafford.

“It is brilliant for United’s support. They suffered last season but I think with the likes of Herrera things are going to be on an upward curve again.”