Why a Move Would Resurrect Javier Hernandez's Career

Javier Hernandez needs to start getting more playing time if he wants to resurrect his career. The Mexican has barely appeared with Real Madrid since he arrived in Spain.

Chicharito has taken advantage of the minutes coach Carlo Ancelotti has given him in the past couple of weeks.

He has played 205 minutes in the past four games—that is 56.9 percent of the possible time. Despite it all, Hernandez managed to make one assist and put the ball away once.

The striker has slowly polished his technical skills. When he debuted with Manchester United, he was a unique goal-poacher, but he's not anymore.

He has scored four times in La Liga, twice with the head, once with the left foot and once with the right foot. He has proved to have a powerful long-distance shot, which we rarely saw when he was in the Premier League.

Hernandez may be a hard worker, but in all honesty, he is not getting anywhere with Los Blancos. 

Once thought to be a natural sub for Karim Benzema, the Mexican has had to fight for a chance to show he belongs.

Ancelotti has preferred Jese Rodriguez over Hernandez ever since the Spaniard came back from a knee injury.

So Chicharito has been fighting not to be a starter, but to be the first-choice sub?

It's time for Hernandez to move on. His golden days are over—not because he lacks talent or ability, but because he's not in the right team.

It's very difficult to shine in a club like Madrid, where Cristiano Ronaldo and Company have led—and will continue to do so—for years.

So where does Hernandez fit?

His first choice is Manchester United. He signed a five-year extension in 2011, per the club's official website. This means he is a Red Devil until 2016, but after that, adios!

The team will probably want to retrieve the investment, so don't expect a loan this summer. If Hernandez leaves United, he has to be sold.

A middle-table team is just what he needs. We have seen cases like Hernandez's in other Mexican footballers—aka Carlos Vela and Giovani dos Santos.

They had contracts with Arsenal and Barcelona respectively, but they hardly ever represented them. Instead they were always on loan with other clubs and didn't get much playing time.

Once they settled with Real Sociedad and Villarreal, things started to flow nicely again.

Uncredited/Associated Press

The same thing can happen to Chicharito if he stops going to top clubs. He is just not in shape to compete with Wayne Rooney, Ronaldo, et al.

La Liga or the Premier League can be a good fit for the Mexican. His speed and knack for goalscoring set him as a valuable asset for clubs fighting to secure a spot in the top European competitions.

Hernandez is at a point where he must pick wisely. A good decision will put him on the map again while a bad one—well, let's just say we could see him in the Liga MX soon.

All stats appear courtesy of Squawka and ESPN FC.