Ander Herrera joined Athletic Bilbao on a season-long loan deal from PSG, with the Basque club having the option to purchase the player permanently at the end of the season.
The 33-year-old gave his first interview as an Athletic Bilbao player to the club’s official media:
“Since I left Athletic, you have always heard me say how special it is. I think you leave Athletic, but Athletic doesn’t leave you. This club marks you, that’s how it is. Athletic leaves a mark on you that is difficult to match in other places.”
Herrera stated that he is excited to work with the next generation of young players:
“It makes me especially excited to share the dressing room with young people who show that competitive spirit and that respect for professionals, whose eyes light up when they train with the first team. All those things motivate me a lot. Without disrespecting the clubs that I played at during my career, the way young guys behave elsewhere is not as special.”
The midfielder told the club’s media that he is arriving to an environment where he feels at home:
“I am lucky to be here, with people with whom I have never lost contact. I have friends here, both those who are still here and those who have retired. They remind of what Athletic is and their philosophy. I have always acted as an example of what a professional should be like.”
GSFN
