Three Reasons Why Javier Hernandez Is The Right Man For Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur’s search for a new striker seems to have ended up with arriving at a name that is all too familiar with the Premier League – Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez.
The 29-year old former Manchester United striker, who now plays for German Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen has perked the interest of Mauricio Pochettino’s side, who are now keen on signing Hernandez in the summer, with fellow London outfit West Ham United also in pursuit of the forward (Express).
Tottenham are in desperate need of a striker, no questions there. While Harry Kane is doing what he does best – scoring goals in big numbers, the lack of a backup for the Englishman is somewhat worrisome. They brought in Vincent Janssen from AZ Alkmaar last summer to address this issue, but things did not go as planned for the Dutchman as he struggled to establish himself in England.
With the Lilywhites now plotting a move for Chicharito, here we give you three reasons why he could be the right man for the club.
Goals Guaranteed
Throughout his career, if Hernandez has been anything, he has been a sharp goal-scorer. He might not get you the spectacular stuff that will make you sit up and watch in awe of the man, but true to his nature as a dangerous goal-poacher, the Mexican international knows where to be and when to be, and most importantly knows where the back of the net is.
Last season, he finished with a tally of 13 goals and 4 assists from all competitions for Leverkusen, despite going through a lean spell where he went without scoring for close to 2 months at the end of last year.
Chicharito, recently, also became the highest ever goal-scorer for the Mexican national team and has scored 48 goals for El Tri from close to 100 appearances so far. With him in their ranks, Tottenham can expect goals on regular occasions.
Proven In The Premier League
Hernandez is well-known for his time with Manchester United in the Premier League. The 29-year old was brought in by Sir Alex Ferguson in the summer of 2010 from Mexican side Guadalajara and he became an instant fan favourite, despite not being a regular in the team.
His strike-rate during his stay with the Red Devils was very good, despite him being used as a substitute for most parts of the five years with the club. When he left for Bayer Leverkusen in 2015, he had scored 59 goals for United from over 150 appearances with 37 of them coming in the Premier League in 103 games.
While that might not be the most prolific of the records, Hernandez made sure he used each opportunity that came along his way and cemented his status as a “super sub” for the Red Devils, scoring some very important goals by coming on late in the game.
With his pace, two-footed nature and that instinct to be at the right place at the right time, he could go on to score many goals for Tottenham. His Premier League experience will only hold him in good stead.
Winning Experience
One thing that seemed to be missing from Tottenham’s ranks last season was the big-match experience. In what is a relatively young squad, filled with some of the brightest young players, a presence of a senior figurehead who can guide them through is much-needed.
While the likes of Hugo Lloris and Mousa Dembele have great experience, they have never had the taste of success with club and country, unlike Hernandez.
Chicharito won two Premier League titles during his time at United and has laid his hands on two Community Shields as well. He went on to win the FIFA Club World Cup during his one-year loan spell with Real Madrid and was also named the Player of the Tournament in Mexico’s 2011 Gold Cup triumph.
This winning mentality is something that will definitely rub off on the younger members of the Tottenham squad. While he may not exactly be a leader, his experience will only help Pochettino’s team get better and stronger.