Manchester United Transfer News: Why Louis Van Gaal Must Keep Javier Hernandez
As manager Louis van Gaal enters Manchester United into a new era, an Old Trafford exodus may well unfold.
Several big-name stars looked shadows of their former selves during last season’s nightmare campaign under David Moyes, and the ruthless Dutchman could be sending them to the exit door as his tenure in the United hot seat begins.
However, one man that Van Gaal needs to keep in his ranks to enjoy success next term is Mexican striker Javier Hernandez, who has been linked to a move away from the Theatre of Dreams recently.
Gazzetta Dello Sport, via 101 Great Goals, report that a move to Inter Milan could be in the pipeline for "Chicharito," while Felipe Monforte of Marca reveals that Atletico Madrid have moved for his signature.
Wherever the 26-year-old lays his hat next season, if it’s not in Manchester, then Van Gaal could live to seriously regret it.
Hernandez was among those that failed to impress under Moyes, scoring just four Premier League goals all season according to WhoScored.com, but much of that poor record has to be blamed on the manager.
Eighteen of the striker’s 24 league appearances came from the bench in the last campaign, with Moyes resorting to hurling Hernandez on late in games while panicking on the wrong side of results.
However, when given a fair chance to perform, Hernandez can be nothing short of deadly—as he proved under Sir Alex Ferguson.
As SoccerWay’s statistics reveal, last season was the first time that the "Little Pea" had failed to hit double figures in terms of league goals, and the most times that he’d been used as a substitute in a Premier League campaign.
While Hernandez has a very good impact as a substitute and is used to being used as such, it’s the timing of sending him on that can prove the difference between turning a game on its head and one petering out into nothingness.
The good news for United fans is that their new manager certainly knows how to make an impact substitution, as he proved at the World Cup with the Netherlands, and he told the club’s official website that he’ll be giving Hernandez the chance to prove himself ahead of next season:
"I have to see if he performs how I want. Now I can only see what he has showed under the guidance of another coach. He will arrive this evening and I will meet him, we will train and after that he will perform in a match and then I can say something about that.
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While several fans will quickly make their peace with Hernandez’s departure should he move away from Old Trafford, he’s the kind of player that’s essential to the club’s bid to get back among Europe’s elite.
He offers something completely different to regular, first-team front men Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Danny Welbeck, as he’s a first-rate poacher.
Having players like Rooney and Van Persie that can bulldoze their way through defences or slam the ball home from 30 yards is all well and good, but someone that gets in the right place at the right time and converts is the difference between winning and losing at the highest level.
It’s easy to argue that Van Persie can do that job effectively, too, but with the Dutch striker at 30 years of age and prone to an injury or two, the Mexican appears the ideal candidate to fill Van Persie's boots both when chasing a game and when the former Arsenal man is forced to the sidelines.
However, Hernandez’s national team manager, Miguel Herrera, believes that he needs to leave Old Trafford this season to be given the chance to play first-team football—per Paulo Freitas of Sky Sports:
"In the case of 'Chicharito', I believe it'd be in his interest to leave so he is taken into consideration to play."
Hernandez’s lack of regular action last season saw him forced into a campaign of substitute appearances at the World Cup with Mexico, though a player of his calibre really should have been an option from the start.
His movement, dynamic finishing ability and engine make him a nightmare for defences both domestically and internationally, and former United captain Nemanja Vidic believes that he would fit in at any side—per Gazetta Dello Sport, via 101 Great Goals:
“It is clear that Chicharito could go to any club and he would be welcomed with open arms.”
Hernandez is one of those players that is capable of leaving a club and making them lament letting him leave, and that would certainly be the case with Manchester United.
The question remains whether or not Hernandez will fit into Van Gaal’s system of football, but as it’s one that can be a little goal-shy at times, surely he’s the perfect tool for success?
It’s no secret that United are looking to rebuild, but until they find a player that can do a better job than Hernandez of producing magic with very little opportunities to do so, the Mexican should remain in their ranks.
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