Disgruntled Chicharito Linked With Exit- But Will Hammers Sell?

Its safe to say that Mexican forward Chicharito has not set the house on fire in his time with West Ham. Now, he’s linked with a transfer to goal-shy Valencia; but will the Hammers sell?

Hernandez has been a success everywhere he has been- except for West Ham. An accomplished record lists Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen and, of course, Manchester United amongst his former employers. Yet at ambitious West Ham, he has been an expensive liability- and it may be time for this unhappy marriage to finally end.

Unquestionable Pedigree- But A Serial Underperformer

The 30 year old poacher is on massive wages of 140k pounds plus- making him one of the Hammers’ top earners. Yet, since joining the London Club from Bayer Leverkusen in 2017, Chicharito has been far from prolific. This season, he has scored 4 goals from 15 appearances- very few of which he started in. Overall, his total tally for West Ham doesn’t make for pretty reading either. From 50 games in all competitions in East London, Chicharito has only 13 goals to his name. This is a far cry from the poacher’s Manchester United days, where he was recognised as one of the world’s best finishers- scoring 59 from 157. A supreme fox-in-the-box, Chicharito has scored all his goals inside the penalty area, underscoring his undoubted ability.

Spanish Escape Route For Chicharito?

Since last year, Hernandez has been making noises about a potential exit from the London Stadium. Now, he may have finally attracted a suitor. Valencia, one of Spain’s historic clubs, sit 9th in La Liga. Despite this, they have desperately struggled for goals, with Rodrigo a disappointment and loan failure Michy Batshuayi sent back to Chelsea. Hernandez would add experience and an undoubted attacking threat to an otherwise solid Valencia side. From the player’s point of view, the move allows him to move to a team in which he can potentially flourish. According to the Daily Mirror, both parties have agreed Chicharito’s wages- but can the Spanish side agree a fee with his current employers?

West Ham Hesitant to Sanction Sale

West Ham would surely relish the chance to move on one of the highest earning flops at the club- but are unlikely to do so, at least in January. With Marko Arnautovic clearly pushing for a Chinese move and misfiring Andy Carroll and Lucas Perez the only other striking options, Chicharito is clearly needed for now. Besides, any transfer fee for the 30 year old would be modest at best, and not enough to cover the purchase of an elite transfer target like Maxi Gomez.

So, whilst Chicharito is happy enough to move, even reportedly taking a paycut, West Ham aren’t likely to play ball. Watch this space- but expect the Mexican maestro to remain in London for the time being.