The Spaniard spent five seasons at Old Trafford during which time he won the FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Europa League, though they never seriously challenged for the Premier League title.
Herrera feels one of the big stumbling blocks was the way the squad was built – with United signing too many attacking stars – and has encouraged the club’s hierarchy to avoid that mistake by bringing in team players to provide solidity, while he also feels further strength in depth is required.
Speaking to Manchester United’s Scandinavian supporters club, he said: ‘When you make a building you have to start from the foundations, and sometimes I saw that the club tried to sign stars and stars and stars but we needed sometimes team players, you know what I mean?
‘I don’t know if one day I will be something [a coach or director] in my club, in Real Zaragoza, the club that I love – or here in Bilbao, or Manchester, I don’t know! – but you can make sure that I will always start from the bottom of the building, from the first step, because you need the basis to create something important.
‘We can see even Manchester City, it’s painful for us, very, very painful, but they started from the back. You remember when they signed Kyle Walker, when they signed Vincent Kompany, Nicolas Otamendi, Fernandinho. They are not going to make you win trophies, but without them you are not going to win, that’s for sure.
‘And now I think United have done it, with Lisandro Martinez – I love Lisandro! – and I love Casemiro, the way he plays: for the club, for the badge.
‘But sometimes I saw that they tried to sign stars when we needed a base, something to make those stars shine.’
Asked if he would like to see Declan Rice and James Maddison come to United, Herrera continued: ‘I’m not working as a sporting director yet! I think that would be so brave to say who United should sign, but if I was the sporting director of the club I would try to have two players per position.
‘It’s not always the same because you always have one in a better moment than the other, but try to make a team where the injuries or the changes or the bad moments of the players doesn’t affect the team.
‘For example, now Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia. I think it was right to bring Malacia to the club because you can see, when Luke cannot play, Malacia is doing great. You have the example now of Diogo Dalot and Aaron Wan-Bissaka – Wan-Bissaka now is in a great moment. You know what I mean?
‘I don’t control the market right now, who is available or who you can sign or who you cannot, but I would try to sign players that give you that balance to the team.
‘For example I remember a season where we had Radamel Falcao, Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney, we had so many attacking players and then in the midfield you had to put Wayne Rooney because we did not have enough players. I would try to make that balance, and then with that solidity you can make the stars shine. That’s my philosophy.’
MORE : Manchester United target Diogo Costa expected to leave Porto this summer
MORE : Ander Herrera expects David de Gea to sign new Manchester United contract and hits back at critics
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