Ander Herrera has found himself to be somewhat of a cult hero now with the Old Trafford faithful, as they seem to love his determination on the pitch and the genuine desire to represent the Manchester United shirt.

So, it comes as no surprise that there have been calls for the Spanish international to take over the captaincy from Wayne Rooney, considering he finds himself to be one of the first names on Jose Mourinho’s team sheet.

HERRERA INTEREST

Whether that happens or not remains to be seen, because the first order of business is ensuring he remains in Manchester as there has reportedly been serious interest from La Liga giants, Barcelona.

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Talk of the 27-year-old leaving for Camp Nou was a hot topic of debate during the closing stages of the Premier League season, but those rumours intensified when the Blaugrana brought in Ernesto Valverde to replace the departing Luis Enrique.

The 53-year-old coach is keen to secure a reunion with a player he coached extensively at Athletic Bilbao, and looks to bring in some reinforcements to wrangle the La Liga title away from Real Madrid next season.

However, even a force like Barcelona doesn’t always get what they want as Spanish outlet Marca is claiming they’ve been dealt a huge blow – by the United boss himself.

HANDS OFF

The source is claiming that Mourinho has issued Barcelona a hands-off warning, claiming he’s not for sale at any price as he helped his side secure the EFL Cup as well as the Europa League to find themselves back in Europe’s elite competition next season.

Following his impressive performances, it’s being reported that the Portuguese boss is set to offer Herrera a new four-year deal to fend off outside interest, and will increase his wages to £180,000-per-week.

In Barca’s case, Marca went on to claim that after suffering this huge blow they will now turn their attentions elsewhere.

They added that it seems highly likely that they'll shift their focus to Paris Saint-Germain instead to sign the highly-rated Marco Verratti, a player Lionel Messi is apparently keen on bringing to the club.

That won’t be easy either, as the French side considers him vital for their future project; so, Valverde’s first task of strengthening his midfield is already off to a difficult start.

What do you make of Jose Mourinho refusing to sell Ander Herrera to Barcelona? Have YOUR say in the comments section below.

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