The 18-year-old England international’s £30million move from Southampton went through last week while former teammate Adam Lallana, another face of the future for the national side, secured a £25million deal with Liverpool today.

Herrera has signed for United after they met his £28.4million release clause.

Herrera, 24, was one of David Moyes’ main transfer targets last summer, and was widely expected to sign for the club from Athletic Bilbao

Smalling’s comments came after Roy Hodgson presented him with the rare opportunity of playing in his favoured position in England’s final group game with Costa Rica.

The 26-year-old, nicknamed ‘Little Pea’ and who was officially the fastest player at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, scored his country’s final goal in a 3-1 defeat of Croatia to secure a place in the last 16.

Midfielder Herrera, part of Spain’s London 2012 Olympics squad, would become only United’s second midfield signing in seven years after Belgian Marouane Fellaini became the first in six last summer.

The fixtures were released at 9am, giving football fans across the region an ideal view of their post-World Cup hangover cure

Following the Netherlands’ destruction of holders Spain, orchestrated by new United boss Louis van Gaal, it would be a wasted opportunity to not discuss the smoke issuing from the Old Trafford rumour mill.

The 5-1 humbling by a Robin van Persie inspired Dutch side in the Group B opener on Friday was world and European champions Spain’s heaviest loss in over 50 years.

Manchester United’s two most established strikers could hardly have experienced two more contrasting opening games at the World Cup in Brazil

Welshman Giggs envisages good times under the new regime though it may well be a few years yet until he takes on a management himself after a career that included a record 963 appearances for the Old Trafford club.