Man Utd Fans Pick the Star They Believe to Be the Club's Most Important Player Ahead of 2017/18

Manchester United fans believe that goalkeeper David de Gea will continue to remain the club's most important player for the upcoming season, ahead of the likes of Paul Pogba, Romelu Lukaku and fellow countryman Ander Herrera.

Responding to a 90min poll, some 31,000 United fans made their opinion known, with 38% opting for De Gea as the individual they believe to be the most important to the team.

Image by Jamie Spencer

United have successfully seen off another very public pursuit of De Gea from Real Madrid this summer and the stopper, voted the club's Player of the Year for three successive seasons between 2014 and 2016, will be guarding the net for at least another campaign to come.

De Gea winning the poll does come as something as a surprise, though. United were not as reliant on his heroics last season as they had been in the previous three years, with much more expected this season from Pogba, more settled 12 months after his record move from Juventus.

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The midfield star and fan favourite stands to now be the beating heart of the team on and off the pitch but came second in the final poll standings with 27% of the overall vote.

Herrera, meanwhile, a popular choice for many as club captain before Michael Carrick was handed the role, received 20% of the vote and finished third. His performances in a new role last season were something of a revelation after a mixed first two seasons at Old Trafford.

Despite joining to fill the hole left vacant by Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the veteran's 28 goals, £75m arrival Lukaku is currently seen as the most important player by only 8% of fans.

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Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who improved as his debut season progressed, was the choice of 5%. The Armenian promises to be the team's premier creative spark over the coming months.

Centre-back Eric Bailly commanded just 3% of the vote.