After many rumors, it all seems like Javier Chicharito Hernandez’ future this upcoming season will be at Manchester United, as no negotiations with other teams amounted to anything. Now, he’ll have to fight against Rooney for playing minutes. It won’t be easy, but he’s got the patience, mental strength, and will to do it.
Man Utd coach Louis Van Gaal has recently stated that now that experienced players Radamel Falcao and Robbin Van Persie have left the team, Rooney’s game-replacement/alternative spot is open. And although Van Gaal’s words are not exactly comforting to Chicharito – he’s basically saying that the open spot on the team is the #1 sub and that there will be competition for it (Adnan Januzaj, Memphis Depay, and James Wilson) – it still seems likely that CH14 will get playing minutes.
PICS: Training in San Jose. #MUtour pic.twitter.com/05pdrQPVvo
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) julio 27, 2015
Chicharito’s also a very surprising player, so there’s always the chance that he’s got a trick up his sleeve and will actually takes over Rooney’s spot (sending him to the midfield), just like he took over Berbatov’s in 2010.
But if it all fails and Chicharito has another terrible season this year, his options still aren’t that bad. With a $10 million per year offer from Orlando City FC this summer and growing momentum in the MLS, Chicharito’s future might actually be closer to home than he imagines.
Chicharito has been a man of up and downs. When he began his professional career for Chivas in 2006 at age 18, he came close to retiring due to a lack of playing opportunities. Four years later, he was scoring goals against Argentina and France in the World Cup, and signing for Manchester United; where he’d score more than 20 goals in his first season.
After having some bad seasons at Man Utd, he made a move to Real Madrid, which both excited and surprised fans around the world. Unfortunately, he once again was given few playing opportunities and spent most of the season on the bench.
After Karim Benzema got injured near the end of the season, Chicharito finally got some playing minutes and used them to show what he can do; his high point came in the game-winning-goal against a defensive Atletico de Madrid in the Champions league.
Light and shadow – this seems to be Chicharito story, and as this 2015-2016 season begins, the questions and expectations continue.