West Ham announced it has agreed to terms for the transfer of striker Javier Hernandez from Bayer Leverkusen on Thursday, with the Mexican international set to fly to London to agree personal terms and take a medical.
Let go by Manchester United in August 2015 for £7.3 million, Hernandez had a brilliant 2015-16 season with Bayer, netting 17 goals in 28 Bundesliga appearances, per WhoScored.com, and being named the division’s Player of the Month in November, December and January, as noted by the Mirror’s Jacob Murtagh.
His level dropped somewhat in 2016-17, but he still managed to return 11 goals and three assists in 26 appearances in the German top flight.
Chicharito is a natural goalscorer and was a favourite of Sir Alex Ferguson at United following his 2010 move to Old Trafford from Mexican club Guadalajara.
Having spent the 2014-15 season on loan at Real Madrid, Hernandez has proved himself an effective poacher in the Premier League, La Liga and the Bundesliga, and thus he is almost guaranteed to score regularly for the Hammers.
Now 29 years old, Chicharito is experienced and still in the prime of his career. He proved in his debut season with Bayer that, when given a regular starting role, he can be a remarkably consistent goalscorer.
Given the relative scarcity of good value strikers in the transfer market, West Ham have done well to snap up Hernandez, who should thrive back in the Premier League.
By Rory Marsden for bleacher report
