Louis van Gaal's first Man Utd signing has seen his value plummet since £29m move

Louis van Gaal's first signing at Manchester United, Ander Herrera, was secured with a hefty price tag of £29 million - but that is a big difference from the midfielder's current market value a decade later.

Van Gaal, taking the managerial reins after Ryan Giggs' temporary leadership following David Moyes' departure, aimed to restore the glory of the Red Devils. This goal was to be achieved by fortifying various segments of the squad with new talent.

His inaugural buy, Spaniard Herrera from Athletic Bilbao, bore a hefty transfer fee. As we look back on this business transaction a decade later, Herrera's market rate has experienced a considerable downturn, with TransferMarkt now appraising the midfielder's worth at just £2.5 million.

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The rejection of United's initial bid for the then-24-year-old by Bilbao led to Herrera triggering a contract clause enabling his move to the Mancunian club, reports the Mirror.

Delighted to pledge his allegiance to his dream team, Herrera said at the time: "Signing for Manchester United is a dream come true. I have joined United to do all I can to help the team reach the club's objectives. Having arrived on Tuesday, I'm excited to now be living in Manchester and I can't wait for my first game in United's famous red shirt."

United had earmarked the Spanish midfielder for a move after his performance caught the higher-ups' attention during a Europa League burly between Athletic Bilbao and United in 2012. Against all odds, La Liga club Bilbao overcame the Red Devils with a shock 3-2 victory at