Liverpool and Tottenham are both interested in a January move to bring former Manchester United striker Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez back to the Premier League.
As per The Daily Mirror, Liverpool and Tottenham are eyeing a January move for Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez. The Mexican, who is lovingly known as Little Pea in his homeland, has been in good form since joining Bayer Leverkusen but has been going through a dry spell of sorts recently and it seems like he could be on his way back to the Premier League.
Chicharito came to the fore and made his name in Europe since earning a move to Manchester United. The player became an instant fan favourite and scored 20 goals in his debut season, a feat which has been rarely matched by other players in the Premier League.
The player, despite his prolific record, was used largely as an impact sub by Sir Alex Ferguson. But his presence in the first-team setup was diminished to a large extent, by the departure of the long-time Manchester United manager.
Chicharito then had a brief spell at Real Madrid before he was sold by Manchester United to Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2015. The move to a new league seems to have reinvigorated the 28-year-old as he registered more than 20 goals in his debut season once again, becoming an undisputed leader of the Leverkusen front-line.
Hernandez started off the current campaign well, with 7 goals in all competitions, but has since been going through a dry spell. The Mexican striker has failed to find the net in his last 11 outings in all competitions. But, that has not stopped the likes of Valencia from being interested in a January move for the player.
And now, Liverpool and Tottenham seem to have joined the fray. Liverpool have already been looking to reinforce their front-line, with Coutinho out injured and Sadio Mane set to leave for AFCON in the new year.
Tottenham, on the other hand, have been disappointed by Vincent Janssen’s form since his arrival at the club and are looking to add a prolific striker to partner and act as cover for Harry Kane. Chicharito presents a striker that is already accustomed to the rigours of the Premier League and at the age of 28, is close to the prime age for a forward.
Javier Hernandez, though, is a known supporter of his former club Manchester United, which may prove to be a decisive factor in the fact that the Mexican may not want to spite the Red Devils faithfuls by joining their fierce rivals in Liverpool.
Here are some of the major highlights from Chicharito’s time at Manchester United:
The Mexican’s current deal runs till 2018 and is reported to have a minimum release clause of £33.5 million. While the interested parties would attempt to negotiate a deal for an amount lower than the buyout clause, they may have to bid that amount in order to prize the player away from Bayer Leverkusen, with Leverkusen likely to be in no mood to do a deal at any amount lower than the clause.
Even though the clause may seem a bit towards the upside, Chicharito’s previous association with the Premier League should enable the player to slot in the Premier League right at home. Valencia seem the dark horse in the race and may very well be able to edge the player by providing him a better assurance of first-team playing time.
Chicharito has been a fan favourite everywhere he has been to up until now. The addition of a player like Hernandez will not only add to the finishing prowess of the team that is able to secure a transfer for him, but also provide fans with another player to love and support.
