Javier “Chicharito” Hernández
Javier “Chicharito” Hernández has had precious few chances to impress at Real Madrid this season. Reuters

Javier “Chicharito” Hernández may have found himself out of favor with both Manchester United and Real Madrid in recent months, but reports suggest a host of Premier League clubs are angling to land his signature this summer. The Mexico international is currently on a season-long loan with Real Madrid from Old Trafford, but has made limited appearances for the Spanish giants. While there is almost no chance that he will be snapped up by Madrid, it is also widely expected that United will look to cash in on him at the end of the season, when he will just have one year remaining on his contract.

It looks unlikely that there will be a shortage of suitors. According to the Daily Mirror, Southampton and West Ham are keen on the 26-year-old, while the Daily Star suggests that Tottenham, Everton and Stoke City are also in the running.

While all of the above clubs would represent a step down for Hernández since moving to Europe with Manchester United in 2010, he has made it clear that a chance for regular first-team action will be his priority when deciding on his future this summer. After a stunning start to his Old Trafford career, when he rapidly went from “super-sub” to being named in the starting lineup for the 2011 Champions League final, Hernández saw his role increasingly reduced under Sir Alex Ferguson and David Moyes. In the closing stages of last summer’s transfer window, current manager Louis van Gaal allowed him to leave for the Bernabeu.

His dream move to the club he supported as a boy has emphatically not gone to plan, however. Hernández has started just five time in all competitions, only once in La Liga, and has been limited to less than 60 minutes on the pitch in 2015. Even as Real Madrid, and in particular their famed attacking trio of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, have struggled in recent weeks, there has been little sign that manager Carlo Ancelotti will turn to Hernández as an alternative.

Yet it would be no surprise if there are a number of clubs who believe he can rediscover the exuberant eye for goal he displayed in his early time at Manchester United. The Daily Star suggests an £8 million transfer fee could be sufficient to secure his services, which would be far from exorbitant for a player of his proven quality and experience at the top level.

Of the Premier League clubs currently reported to be interested, Tottenham and Southampton may appeal most. Both are chasing a place in the Champions League this season and, even if they miss out, appear to be heading on an upward trajectory. Southampton could well be looking for further forward options this summer, with the goals of Italian striker Graziano Pelle having dramatically dried up since his fine start to life in England. And Tottenham will surely be seeking fresh blood in attack, with Emmanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldado currently offering scant support to talisman Harry Kane.

Interest in Hernández is unlikely to be limited to the Premier League, however. Italian clubs Roma and Lazio have been linked as have Spanish outfit Valencia, and surprisingly, Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.

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