Ander Herrera had to take a break as he welled up in tears when asked about Man Utd exit

Ander Herrera will always have a special place in the heart of Manchester United fans.

A much-loved player who always wore his heart on his sleeve, Herrera spent five years at Old Trafford, amassing almost 200 appearances and winning the FA Cup, League Cup, Europa League and Community Shield.

However, the circumstances of his exit in 2019 and subsequent move to Paris Saint-Germain has always been a source of frustration for fans who were crying out for him to stay.

Why did Herrera leave Man Utd?

That’s because it’s since transpired that Herrera, 33, was unsatisfied with the conditions that United offered in order to try and make him stay, leading to something of a reluctant divorce upon the expiration of his contract.

As such, the Old Trafford faithful have been left wondering: “what might have been?” because there’s good reason to think that extending Herrera’s deal would have been beneficial for both player and club.

Fast-forward almost four years and those feelings remain with Herrera having gone onto endure a mixed spell at the Parc des Princes, before returning to his boyhood club of Athletic Bilbao in the summer.

Why did Herrera cry over Man Utd?

And now, Herrera has opened up about the emotion of his Old Trafford departure in the latest instalment of the UTD Podcast.

Sitting down with Helen Evans and Sam Homewood at the San Mames Stadium for an episode that goes live on Monday, Herrera was happy to reveal his innermost feelings about a separation with United that feels more and more regretful with each passing year.

As the conversation unfolded, Herrera’s emotions became clear to see, culminating in the Spaniard welling up in tears and needing to take a break from recording.

In a revealing snippet for what’s being billed as a “powerful podcast”, you’ve got to credit Herrera for not bottling up his emotions and speaking in an open and honest way that can so often be hard to do.

Video: Herrera wells up speaking about Man Utd exit

Power to you for speaking your truth, Ander.

It really is difficult seeing Herrera feeling so emotional about that time in his life because looking from the outside in, it kind of feels as though neither player nor club actually got what they were really, deep down, looking for.

What did Herrera say about leaving Man Utd?

According to United’s official website, Herrera also explained: “To leave, it was difficult because six months before, five months before, I was expecting that offer for me to stay.

“I don’t want to, it’s not the moment to talk bad about anyone and I am not going to do it, but after my third season with the club I expected a little bit more from the club at that time.

“I got the Player of the Year award by the fans and the club didn’t call me that summer to sign a new contract, and they did with other players. That was painful for me, honestly.

“I think I deserved it and they didn’t do it. After, the conditions changed because I was not happy with that little moment with the club. People go through the club but the club and the badge stays the same, so I could never say one bad word about the club because I am so, so thankful.

“But that was a little bit painful. At the end of the third season, three titles, Player of the Year, and they didn’t call me in the summer so I was feeling a bit down. And after, they called me when I had one year left on the contract and the things, they were not right for me.

“I fight for the club until the last day, no problem at all, I respected my contract until the last day. But they didn’t come at the right moment in my opinion, and in my agent’s opinion, and in my family’s opinion as well.”