Ander Herrera seals emotional return to boyhood club Zaragoza after Boca Juniors exit

Ander Herrera has completed a sentimental return to Real Zaragoza, signing a one-year contract with the Spanish club he first joined as an 11-year-old, following his departure from Argentine side Boca Juniors. The move ends a journey that took the midfielder through Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, Athletic Bilbao, and South America.

Herrera joined Manchester United in 2014 for £29m and went on to make almost 200 appearances over five seasons at Old Trafford. During that time he contributed to FA Cup, Carabao Cup, and Europa League victories before leaving for PSG in 2019.

Zaragoza marked his arrival with a statement on the club’s official website: “Ander’s return is an unequivocal sign of belonging and represents the return of a Zaragoza native at a crucial moment for the club’s future.”

Herrera’s homecoming comes during a busy week for United’s former players and the club itself. Manchester United have confirmed three new signings in quick succession: midfielder Andrey Santos arrived from Chelsea in a £50m deal, goalkeeper Karl Darlow joined to provide cover between the posts, and Youri Tielemans completed a £35m move from Aston Villa on Tuesday.

Tielemans is expected to be given a short break before fully integrating with his new teammates, having represented Belgium at the World Cup, where they reached the quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, Scott McTominay — who has thrived at Napoli since his 2024 move, establishing himself as one of Serie A’s most influential players — has yet to return to the Italian club following Scotland’s World Cup campaign. Scotland exited at the group stage. New Napoli head coach Massimiliano Allegri addressed the squad’s return, offering a measured message about his management philosophy. “I learned from an old coach. Until I see and coach players, making judgments from outside is always very difficult,” Allegri said. “We’ll get to know each other.”