Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Roo must And over captaincy
JOSE MOURINHO is looking for a new captain – with fans clamouring for Spaniard Ander Herrera to replace Wayne Rooney.
United boss Mourinho has been inundated by fan mail delivered to the club’s Carrington training ground urging him to give Supporters’ Player of the Year Herrera the job.
And fans at the glitzy end-of-season awards dinner at Old Trafford took the opportunity to deliver the message personally as 27-year-old Herrera picked up his award.
Becoming skipper could complete a tasty double for the popular Spaniard, who is in advanced talks over a new £140,000-aweek deal, running to 2021.
Herrera is free to talk to overseas clubs in January, with his contract set to end next summer. But United are anxious to keep the Spain international, who bought himself out of Atletico Bilbao in 2014 to join the Red Devils.
Many fans believe his passion for the club make him a natural captain, with Rooney’s United future in doubt.
Having lost his England place – and the Three
Lions armband to Harry Kane – 31-year-old Rooney now faces relinquishing the United captaincy as well.
Mourinho and his staff believe it is time to hand the honour to a player who will play the majority of matches next season.
Veteran Michael Carrick wore the armband on occasions last term as did Chris Smalling, Ashley Young, Antonio Valencia and Marouane Fellaini.
But, as he assesses the candidates, Herrera is a leading contender, with Mourinho believing worldrecord signing Paul Pogba, 24, needs at least another season to bed in at Old Trafford before inheriting the armband.