Man Utd in ‘no hurry’ to open new contract talks with quintet

Manchester United are reportedly happy to bide their time before opening new contract talks with a quintet of stars whose deals expire in the summer of 2018.

Men of the moment Juan Mata and Ander Herrera – both of whom have enjoyed something of a renaissance at the club under Jose Mourinho – are two of the five, whose current deals expire the summer after next.

But while United are reportedly close to finalising an extension with exciting youngster Timothy Fosu-Mensah, the likes of Mata and Herrera – as well as Daley Blind, Luke Shaw and Marouane Fellaini – will all be put on the backburner for now, the Manchester Evening News reports.

With around 18 months to go (in these instances, this December) the club would normally begin work on renewing deals.

However, it is understood that there is no mood to get seriously around the table with any of the players as all have an option to extend their contract by a year written into the deals by the club.

United could exercise those options, therefore easing the concern that anybody could run down their deal and leave for nothing.

Mata signed for United in David Moyes’ time at the club in January 2014 for a then club record fee of £37.5m.

The Spanish midfielder was a candidate to be ousted by new boss Jose Mourinho this summer after he had sold the player to Old Trafford when he was Chelsea manager.

But Mata has been rejuvenated and is playing again as a No.10 in United’s set-up. He was tipped to sign a new deal with the club just the other week.

MORE: Mata’s re-birth shows Mourinho doesn’t need to throw money at United

Herrera has come to the fore recently and has looked the best midfield partner to Paul Pogba. He signed in the summer of 2014 as part of Louis van Gaal’s first raft of investments.

Blind was another of Van Gaal’s early buys and has had a good start to the season under Mourinho featuring recently as a left-back, but it seems despite their individual form, United are happy to sit back for the time being with the one-year option clause in place.

The only regular first-teamer whose contract is up next summer is Antonio Valencia.

The 31-year-old also has a 12-month extension option in his current deal and United will wait until the end of the season before deciding whether to exercise it or not.