If Jose Mourinho rues Javier Hernandez’s exit, why doesn’t he sign him now?

The demise of Javier Hernandez’s Manchester United career was best depicted by the sight of Louis Van Gaal shooting a sharp stare at Ryan Giggs, only for the former winger to reply with a shrug of resignation, after the Mexican put a penalty wide in a crucial Champions League qualifier.

Ultimately, the miss didn’t matter, with United progressing to the group stage of the competition nonetheless, but it had a profound impact on Hernandez’s future at Old Trafford. Within weeks, he was sold to Bayer Leverkusen for a paltry £7.3 million, leaving Van Gaal somewhat short of attacking options. He was so desperate to get rid of Hernandez he didn’t even bother to think who would replace him.

It’s an episode Jose Mourinho regrets. The Portuguese publicly questioned the decision taken by his predecessor to sell Hernandez, generally criticising the transfer strategy of the club before his appointment last summer. “Man Utd sold players that I would never sell and bought players that I would never buy,” he said. “I would have never have sold Angel Di Maria, Chicharito and Danny Welbeck. Never. No chance.

“I give a simple example. In the way we play at Old Trafford, in the way we dominate opponents in the way we play in the box, I think ‘Chicharito’ would have 20 goals easy, even coming from the bench for the last 10 or 20 minutes.

“He is the guy that naturally the ball comes here, rebound here, rebounds there, boom – goal. If the goalkeeper saves it, he goes there, boom – goal. If the cross is coming, he anticipates the first post header – goal. And that’s not even coming off the bench.”

Indeed, Hernandez is the kind of forward who would thrive under Mourinho, with the Mexican one of the best poachers in Europe, forging a career for himself on an ethos of opportunism. But if Mourinho is such a fan of the Mexican international, ruing his exit from Old Trafford two years ago, why doesn’t he secure his return this summer?

Hernandez is on the market, with Bayer Leverkusen ready to sell the 29-year-old. It would take just £13 million to activate the release clause in the Mexican’s contract, representing an almighty bargain for anyone with the cash to stump up. He might not have enjoyed the best of seasons last season, but this is a player who still has found the net 39 times over the past two years. There is clear value.




This has led the likes of Spurs and West Ham to be linked with Hernandez, but where is Mourinho in the pursuit? To Manchester United, £13 million is the kind of spare change found down the back of the sofa. If the Portuguese truly was card-carrying member of the Hernandez fan club, he would surely be one of the interested parties.
Perhaps this points to the insincerity of Mourinho’s original remarks. Was he simply point-scoring against Van Gaal all along? Recognising just how popular Hernandez was with the club’s support, publicly questioning the striker’s sale was an easy way for Mourinho to gain favour. It was an easy way for him to look smarter than his predecessor. Now, however, Hernandez’s availability has effectively called him out on those comments.

Of course, whether Hernandez would wish to return to Old Trafford is another matter. He left the club in the search of first team football, so would he really be open to the idea of once again being a back up option, this time to Alvaro Morata or Romelu Lukaku, most likely.

That would be a barrier to Hernandez’s signing, but if the striker can be sold on a return, United should make a move. Whether Mourinho will or not will determine whether he truly meant what he said.

Source:Sports.yahoo