Football
Richard Jolly, ESPN.com writer 9y

Man Utd's Ander Herrera out to emulate legend Paul Scholes

Ander Herrera said he is determined to learn from Paul Scholes as he tries to emulate the man he believes is Manchester United's greatest ever midfielder.

The Spaniard has returned to United's team for the last two games -- the 2-1 defeat to Swansea and 3-1 win over Preston in the FA Cup -- and has scored in both to take his tally for the club to five goals in just nine starts since his 28.8 million-pound move from Athletic Bilbao.

Scholes, 40, retired for the second time in 2013 having made 718 appearances, behind only Ryan Giggs and Sir Bobby Charlton in United's history, and scored 155 goals.

And Herrera, who also sees two of his current teammates as role models, hopes to assume such an important place in the hearts of the fans one day.

"Paul Scholes is maybe the biggest midfielder in the United history," Herrera told the Manchester Evening News. "Yes. I want to be Ander Herrera, I want to learn things from Paul Scholes, things from Michael Carrick, things from Wayne Rooney.

"I wish one day [that] I can be so important for the fans, but I have to work very, very hard for that.

"But, I think I am 25-years-old, I have to learn a lot from my teammates, from great players like Paul Scholes and I want to learn."

Herrera also nominated Lionel Messi as his dream signing for United, rather than the former Old Trafford favourite Cristiano Ronaldo. He added: "This is not good for Manchester United fans because everyone loves Ronaldo, but I think I would sign Messi."

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