It's definitely not the first time, but Major League Soccer move talk surrounding Javier Hernandez has perked up a great deal recently.
Without hesitation, we decided to draw up a list of league clubs where Chicharito could have the greatest impact for your perusal. As usual, all relevant factors regarding potential suitors (need, fit, spendability, local draw, etc.) have been considered.
Though he's now 31 and obviously struggling for pitch time in Seville, it's not like Hernandez has entered some great decline. He's scored in three of his last five Mexico starts (dating back to World Cup 2018) and has struck once every 110 minutes in club life since that tournament wrapped up.
So who could benefit most from snapping him up? Let's get to the shortlist.
Chicago Fire FC
It's been quite a while since the nearly 700,000 Mexicans and Mexican-Americans that live in the Windy City have had a genuine El Tri star to embrace. With the Fire's rebrand/move back downtown, there may not be a better time to land a guy who could certainly put some butts in Soldier Field seats and sell some jerseys.
Of course, at the moment, it must be asked: Could Hernandez actually be lured to a club that is notably lacking a head coach and half their roster? They may need to put in some quality rebuild efforts before making an approach.
Inter Miami CF
Inter's David Beckham and Jorge Mas | Inter Miami CF
The expansion club aren't in a rebuild, they're still on the initial build. Even so, with guys like Lee Nguyen and Matias Pellegrini on board, Miami do already have some playmakers that can provide a capitalistic center forward with service.
Inter Miami still have a couple of open Designated Player slots and definitely could use a star goalscorer up top. And not to sound like a broken record, but the chance to live in warm, beautiful, culture-rich Miami sells itself.
LA Galaxy
I'm not saying the Galaxy will chase after Chicharito, or even that they should, but there are a pile of good reasons to suggest that they might. Suddenly Zlatan-less, the Galaxy need a prime goalscorer and a new team face, and have the DP spot required to nab both in one player burning a hole in their pocket. To boot, any cross-happy team could use a guy who has notched dozens of header goals in his career.
Obviously, they also play in a metropolitan area that has the over two million Mexicans, easily the largest such population in any American city. The Galaxy have a history of attracting El Tri stars that extends to present day, when Hernandez would be able to link up with Jonathan dos Santos.
Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers | USA Today Sports Images
Brian Fernandez is gone. Despite Jeremy Ebobisse's 11 league goals last season, Gio Savarese doesn't seem to trust him to hold down an ink striker job. Somebody needs to get to the end of all those crosses (nobody served more in 2019 than the Timbers) and Diego Valeri through balls, and Chicharito certainly fits that bill.
Off the field, one would assume that a Hernandez coup would really resonate a great deal in Portland, which boasts the fastest-growing Mexican community in America. Believe it or not, the Timbers have yet to suit up a Mexican player (let alone a bona fide El Triheadliner) during their MLS tenure.
Sporting KC
There's been a lot of talk over the past couple of season about the star-shaped hole in the No. 9 position at Children's Mercy Park, and if reports are to be believed, management finally seems intent on rectifying that situation.
While Sporting may have shipped the fewest crosses of any team on this list last season, there is also an appreciable value to teams intent on working possession in having a striker who shuffles back lines with annoying runs and hounds after rebounds. Sound like anyone you know?
