A common question being asked this summer by the football/soccer community is “who will play striker for Manchester United?” It certainly appears, after today, that Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez will indeed get his chance. Manager Louis van Gaal said this at a news conference today in Seattle, Washington:
“At the time, we have to decide which strikers we could have at Manchester United. We have already four strikers: we have Welbeck, we have Chicharito [Hernandez], we have Van Persie, we have [James] Wilson.
“Then I have to make a decision that I let go Chicharito and Welbeck because I have bought also Falcao. When you play a system with two strikers or one striker then you [have to] make decisions and I let Chicharito go but now he is coming back.”
United will take on Mexican powerhouse Club America on Friday night to begin their United States preseason tour. With Danny Welbeck let go to Arsenal last year, Robin van Persie sold to Fenerbahce last week and Radamel Falcao flopping during his loan spell, an opportunity opened up for Chicharito.
Van Gaal also said Wednesday that Hernandez (currently out of action with a broken collarbone), will be joining the team on July 25th.
Chicharito has been targeted by Tottenham Hotspur, MLS side Orlando City and West Ham United among others. This past season he completed a loan spell at Real Madrid, but the Spanish giants declined an option make his move permanent. He didn’t play all that much with Los Blancos, but he did score the only goal in Real’s 1-0 Champions League quarterfinal win over Atletico Madrid.
Orlando City confirmed their interest in Chicharito, and if he were to move to MLS it would be huge for the marketing and promotional purposes of the league, but such a move doesn’t seem to be in the cards. The Hernandez to West Ham story had legs too; as reports indicate the Mexican international wants to continue playing in Europe.
As of now, it looks like that opportunity will come with his current club; not the London side.
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with Fox Sports Digital. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes to the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. He also appears regularly on numerous sports talk radio stations all across the country.
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