Valencia one of world’s best right-backs- Herrera

Ander Herrera thinks his Manchester United team-mate Antonio Valencia is currently the best right-back in the world.

Valencia, 31 has started both of United’s Premier League games at right-back this season after maintaining the fine form he showed in pre-season.

Valencia, who was brought to United by Sir Alex Ferguson in 2009 from Wigan for a fee of around £16million, was switched from his original role as a winger to full-back by Louis van Gaal.

He started 14 Premier League games last season, most of which were in defence, but this term under Mourinho the Ecuador star has kicked on and looks like an out-and-our right-back.

And that has not gone unnoticed by Herrera, who believes only Juventus full-back Dani Alves can be put in the same bracket as Valencia at the moment.

“I know him and have always liked the way he plays,” Herrera told MUTV. “I think Antonio is one of the best right-backs in the world.

“I know he’s not a normal right-back because he used to play as a winger, but I think that, right now, he is the best right-back in the world, maybe with Dani Alves, because I like Dani Alves a lot.

“When you have a right-back who is quick to defend and he is crossing maybe six or seven times a game, always or almost always successfully, then he understands football.

“When I have the ball, I know that Antonio’s always ready to receive it, always to give you one solution.

“I think he’s going to be very important this season. He has already been very important for the club, he has already been here seven years, but I think I told you at the end of the last season something good is being cooked and everyone wants to be part of that.”