David Moyes has found no use for Javier Hernandez at West Ham, and few will be surprised.
Louis van Gaal was the manager when Manchester United sold Hernandez to Bayer Leverkusen in 2015, but the player’s form dipped dramatically under Moyes. During the Scot’s sole season in-charge of United, Hernandez scored nine goals in 35 games. In his first three seasons at Old Trafford, when Sir Alex Ferguson was manager, the Mexican striker had scored 50 goals. He was rarely a regular starter, but Hernandez was a valuable squad player, a popular figure in the dressing room and a fan favourite amongst the United supporters.
The 29-year-old returned to English football in the summer, when the Hammers paid Leverkusen £16m for him, but it appears Moyes is prepared to let the player leave. He has scored four goals in 17 appearances this season, and is reportedly the club’s highest-earner on wages of £115,000 a week. He also needs game-time ahead of the World Cup.
Since Moyes became manager in November, he has preferred to use Marko Arnautovic up-front, and Andy Carroll has recently returned to fitness. Hernandez, as many expected, doesn’t seem to fit into the plans of the former Everton manager, and Sky Sports claim he is free to leave the club this month. In fairness to Moyes, his predecessor Slaven Bilic didn’t know how to use the striker either. The former West Ham manager often played Hernandez wide-left in a 4-3-3 formation, positioning a player who has scored all of his Premier League goals inside the box away from the penalty area.
There is no word yet about which clubs might be prepared to sign Hernandez, but some United fans want him back at Old Trafford, and it’s not the worst idea you’ll hear this month. Jose Mourinho needs a back-up striker for Romelu Lukaku, as Zlatan Ibrahimovic is injured and has struggled for form since returning from the serious knee injury he suffered last season. Hernandez is a proven goal-scorer when he plays up-front, and he could help United find late goals in games where they are struggling to break down the opposition, as has happened on several occasions this season.
Last season, Mourinho bemoaned the fact United sold Hernandez.
“Man United sold players that I would never sell, bought players that I would never buy,” he said last March.
“I would never sell Di Maria, Chicharito, Danny Welbeck. Never. No chance. In the way we play at Old Trafford, in the way we dominate opponents, in the way we play in their box, I think Chicharito would have 20 goals easily, even coming from the bench for the last 10 or 20 minutes. He’d have 20 goals.”
Maybe Mourinho will put his money where his mouth is and make a move for Hernandez this month?
https://twitter.com/UnitedStandMUFC/status/951400746750181376
@GNev2 Hernandez for sald. Surely he would be a good choice for United? Cheap and if hes playing the right position he will score goals.
— Peter Burford (@PeteBurford) January 11, 2018
Can united please buy chicharito back as a backup striker at this point of the season am sure is got 10 goals for us
— grey (@greykryptonite) January 11, 2018
If United managed to get Dendoncker, Lucas Moura and Chicharito during this window, would it be that bad? Wait until the summer for the bigger names, improve the team's depth in january.
— João Folgado (@JMMFolgado) January 11, 2018
Ngl, I'd have Chicharito back at United as a budget signing, he's an off the bench game winner.@FullTimeDEVILS
— alex (@ThatAlexKido) January 11, 2018
