Javier ” Chicharito ” Hernandez to Major League Soccer? Stop us if you have heard this very over-played song before. Only now there is actually a lot of substance to the narrative, and the timing is absolutely right for all involved.
The Mexico icon and Sevilla striker very recently said that MLS is a realistic destination now for him, and all the stars are lining up for the Chicago Fire as the perfect suitor. The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and West Ham (among others) has seen his national teammates Carlos Vela and Jonathan dos Santos succeed in Los Angeles, and at his current age, 31, it’s now or never in terms of securing that last big pay day.
Asked by the LA Times, a couple days ago, if he would be open to a move states side, Chicharito (which translates to “Little Pea” in English) responded: “Yes. Definitely. Look, I am always thinking about my future. I want to be as open as I can to any opportunity.
“MLS is a league that is improving. It is an opportunity. Every league is an opportunity.”
Also, Bristol had a transfer rumor item on him yesterday:
Sources tell ESPN FC that Chicharito’s interest in MLS is “more than just lip service” and that one team has already talked to him about a move that would make him the highest-paid player in league history. Commissioner Don Garber is also said to be keen on this transfer, possibility as it would do wonders for television ratings and attendance.
As for landing spots, one person close to the situation said that the re-branded Chicago Fire are a very real possibility given their move to Soldier Field and need to fill up the venue. Inter Miami has been in the mix in the past as well and could be a potential destination to watch.
Also, in case you missed it, we talked about the Chicago Fire, their move to Soldier Field and the recent rebrand on CLTV Sports Feed last week. Link and video is below:
The last time @PaulMBanks was on Sports Feed, he said Minnesota was his 2019 "sleeper" team in the Big Ten. He was feeling good about that pick when he was back on the show Tuesday talk with @paytonsun. See his full college football & soccer talk here: https://t.co/9KZYjD3A02 pic.twitter.com/VfFuEzhKEL
— @CLTVSportsFeed (@CLTVSportsFeed) November 27, 2019
In addition to the Fire and Miami, you can expect the L.A. Galaxy to be in the mix for Hernandez, as they look to replace Zlatan Ibrahimovic. However, the Fire seem like the right place and the right time. Go back to Taylor Twellman’s famous rant when news broke of the Fire moving back to Soldier Field.
Like he said, go sign Chicharito and Robert Lewandowski, and you get that stadium filled. He probably meant “or” not “and” as both would be a massively tall order, but the latter of the two scorers seems very unlikely to happen anyway.
The Fire are back in the city, instead of way out in the suburbs, with a new owner who has his heart in it. He’s much more dedicated to winning (and with that willing to spend money) than the previous owner.
And they must do something, and something bold in order to sell tickets. The club announced a 30% price cut for some season ticket packages (1/2 off for kids tickets) the day before they rolled out their disastrous rebrand, and whenever you’re cutting costs that drastically, at this point in the cycle, it’s not a good sign for sales.
Additionally, their three most notable players (Bastian Schweinsteiger, Nemanja Nikolic and Dax McCarty) are all gone now. In the case of Basti, their most expensive player is now off the books. In the case of Niko, their most prolific goal scorer is now gone.
If Chicharito really does become the highest paid player in MLS history, like the ESPN report says he could be, then it would most likely be in this situation here in Chicago.
It all makes perfect sense, and if you’re asking yourself “will he help fill up the stadium?” Think back to Mexico’s win over the United States in the Gold Cup final. That stadium was about 90-95% Mexico fans. Enough said. This idea is win-win-win-win.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
You can follow Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com on Twitter here and his cat on Instagram at this link.