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7 Goals In 9 Games, And Then A Dry Spell – Should Tottenham Go For This £21.5m Rated Goal Poacher?

Should Tottenham Go For This ex- Manchester United Goal Poacher?

Javier Hernandez has reportedly been put up for sale by Bayer Leverkusen

Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez’s rise and fall in the German Bundesliga has been extremely rapid. Having moved to Bayer Leverkusen ahead of the 2015-16 term from Premier League giants Manchester United, the 28-year old became an instant hit in the German top division but has fallen from graces this term at the Bay Arena and has been put up for sale by the club, according to the Sun.

This could prove to be an enticing opportunity for Tottenham Hotspur, who have previously expressed interest in bringing the Mexican striker to the White Hart Lane.

Chicharito enjoyed an excellent debut campaign in Germany, scoring 26 goals for Leverkusen in 43 appearances across all competitions in 2015-16, playing a huge hand in their third spot finish. However, things haven’t gone the same way for the former United hitman this term.

Having begun the ongoing campaign brightly, Hernandez has faded off quite drastically. Chicharito scored 7 goals in 9 appearances across all competitions at the start of the season but has failed to get his name on the scoresheet for more than three months now. His last goal for Leverkusen came in the 2-0 win against Borussia Dortmund on the 1st of October, 2016 in Bundesliga.

A three-month dry spell from the leading striker of the team isn’t good enough and the Leverkusen management has taken note of the situation with director Rudi Voller stating in the press that better showings are expected from the Mexican in the second-half of the season.

The goal drought has also led to an unrest among the squad, with most of the first-team members growing unhappy with Chicharito’s attitude on the field and the fact that he doesn’t do much to help out his teammates in other areas of the pitch. And that is believed to be the driving force behind the German club’s decision to make Hernandez available for transfers in January itself.

So, with the opportunity presenting itself, should Tottenham make a move for Hernandez?

No.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men went through a bit of a goal drought themselves earlier in the season when Harry Kane was out injured. However, they have hit top form ever since with Kane scoring at will and notable contributions from Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen and Son Heung-Min.

Hernandez puts a chance wide against Spurs earlier this season

However, one area of concern that persists for Spurs is the form of the second striker Vincent Janssen. The Dutchman, who arrived at the Lane in the summer from Dutch club AZ Alkmaar for a fee of £18.5 million, has struggled to hit the ground running in the English top division. The 22-year old has scored only three goals for Spurs this term, across all competitions, and all of them have come from the penalty spot.

Questions have been raised over his suitability to the English game and rightly so, but Hernandez is not the solution for Tottenham at this point of time.

Leverkusen are demanding a fee in the region of £21.5 million for the 28-year old Mexican, which in itself is over the top, given his struggles in front of goal. Plus, there is again the question of whether he would fit in within this Tottenham side and adjust to the way Pochettino wants to play. It is well-known that the “Little Pea” is not a fan of helping out his teammates in the defensive areas, which is very much against the policy of Pochettino who demands a lot from his players.

He may have been a bright talent during his time at United, having chipped in with many crucial goals at various points in his career at Old Trafford, but the Chicharito of the present is low on confidence, not scoring and in a downslide.

Tottenham need a striker, no questions there, given their involvements in the FA Cup and the Europa League as well alongside their chase for the Premier League trophy. But to help them achieve their goals, Spurs would need a striker who is firing all cylinders and is on top of his game, unlike Hernandez. At £21 million, Hernandez may have seemed an attractive option back in the summer, but due to his form going downhill ever since, Tottenham would be better off investing the funds somewhere else.