Tottenham signing this top-class poacher for a bargain £12m would be the deal of the season

Why Tottenham must do everything possible to sign Javier Hernandez

According to a report from El Desmarque, West Ham have rejected Valencia’s offer of taking Javier Hernandez on a loan-to-buy deal that would have seen the player join the Spanish side until the end of the season with the option of making it permanent in the summer.

The report claims West Ham are only willing to offload Javier Hernandez on a permanent basis this month – with a fee of £12million being asked.

Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez joined West Ham from Bayer Leverkusen in 2017 but hasn’t had the best of times at the London Stadium, managing just 13 goals in 50 appearances across all competitions.

The Mexico striker has not been a consistent starter under manager Manuel Pellegrini, who has preferred Marko Arnautovic as his main man up front. Javier Hernandez could seek a move away from West Ham this month in order to enjoy regular game time on the pitch.

West Ham’s London rivals Tottenham Hotspur are in desperate need of a striker. Harry Kane has been ruled out with an ankle injury until March at least, leaving Mauricio Pochettino with Fernando Llorente and Vincent Janssen as the strike options.

Janssen remains completely out of favour under Pochettino, while Fernando Llorente has started the last three games.

Tottenham have an array of creative players in their ranks but Kane’s injury means they are devoid of a natural goalscorer. Llorente is past his prime and simply hasn’t got the quality to fill in the boots of Kane, whereas Son Heung-min is at his lethal best on the left flank.

It’s been a disappointing week for Pochettino and the fans as Spurs got knocked out of the League Cup and the FA Cup.

To avoid further slide, Pochettino needs to persuade chairman Daniel Levy to splash the cash at least on a couple of players before Thursday’s transfer deadline. And signing Javier Hernandez would definitely be a step in the right direction for Tottenham.

Hernandez is a proven goalscorer, with a fantastic track record in the Premier League. The fact that he has earned 105 international caps for Mexico serves as a testament to his quality. The Mexican is a major headache for defenders due to his tendency of playing on their shoulders and intelligent movement in the final third.

A fox in the box, the former Manchester United star’s pace, agility and work rate coupled with his ability to link up the play would undoubtedly help Spurs improve the fluidity of their play in the final third.

Read more: 6 goals, 3 assists – Tottenham would become worthy title contenders if they sign this Serie A star before deadline day

Available at a bargain £12million, Pochettino must do everything possible to land Hernandez, who could give Spurs the necessary firepower to temporarily replace Kane and also be the second choice once he comes back.