Manchester United manager laments sale of former striker again

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has moved once again to blast Louis van Gaal’s decision to sell Javier Hernandez, claiming the former Red Devil would have scored 20 goals for him this season.

Hernandez left United to join Bayer Leverkusen in 2015 after being deemed surplus to requirements by former manager Van Gaal and the Mexico international has been a hit in the Bundesliga ever since.

The 28-year-old has been regularly linked with a return to the Premier League since departing United but there now could be a sensational return to Old Trafford on the cards after Mourinho name-dropped the pint-sized forward for the second time in recent months.

“We have some players that are not really players in love with the goal,” The Daily Mail quote Mourinho as saying. “They are good players, they are creative players, they can create, but naturally they are not the kind of guy that is a killer.

“I give a simple example. In the way we play at Old Trafford, in the way we dominate opponents and the way we play in the box, I think Chicharito would have 20 goals easily. Even coming from the bench for the last 10 or 20 minutes, he would have 20 goals. He is the guy that naturally the ball rebounds here, rebounds there. Boom! Goal.

“The goalkeeper saves. Boom! Goal. The cross is coming, he anticipates the first post header. Goal. We don’t score enough goals for the way we play and the teams that come to Old Trafford, they know that. They feel that and they can defend.”

Mourinho’s side are in real danger on missing out on the top four despite the fact they are currently 20 games unbeaten in the Premier League. However, they have only won 10 of those matches and poor finishing has routinely undermined significant progress for United this season, who now look like they will have to win the Europa League to have a chance of welcoming back Champions League football next season.

Hernandez has scored 27 league goals in two seasons with the Bundesliga outfit, only Robert Lewandowski (54), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (50) and Anthony Modeste (37) have scored more in that time in Germany’s top flight.

For more stats on Javier Hernandez, click here to visit his WhoScored player page