Javier Hernandez… remember him? Once the new darling of Manchester United and compared to Michael Owen thanks to his predatory instincts in the 18-yard box, the ‘Little Pea’ now looks to be on his way out of Old Trafford. A somewhat ambitious loan spell at Real Madrid – which cries of the plot of the film Goal II – has been relatively unfruitful for poor ol’ Javier, who is believed to be free to find a new club this summer.

A proven record in the Premier League has, naturally, attracted a host of teams, with Spurs and West Ham just two of a cluster chasing the hit-man. And with the London duo better off in terms of league position than rivals such as Everton and Stoke, they seem to be more likely destinations for Chicharito… but who needs him more?

Spurs:

Had Harry Kane not morphed into a runaway goalscoring train this season, then god only knows where Tottenham would be in the league.

The England star in waiting (well, possibly) has netted 34% (16 of 46) of the Lilywhites’ goals in the Premier League this season, while Emmanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldado’s meagre tally of three combined is responsible for just 6%. Remove Kane from the equation and Spurs’ quest for the top four could look quite different, with a midtable scrap, at best, likely to be the current state of affairs.

Although Kane has impressed, at just 21-years-of-age, it’s likely that his form will, at some point in the near future, dip. Should this happen, then Spurs will have little in the way of goals to fall back on, making Hernandez an appealing option. Although criticised for not really contributing in an all-round sense, the Mexican knows how to put the ball in the back of the net, which is a vital tool for any side aiming to challenge in the upper echelons of any division.

Other names have been linked with Spurs – Jackson Martinez being one – yet with the Colombian having never played in a higher standard of football than Portugal’s top tier, his transition may be a tricky one. Hernandez, it would seem, could be a wise investment.

West Ham:

While Spurs’ goals have been concentrated into one outlet (Kane), West Ham have enjoyed a greater distribution this term. Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia have been impressive this term with nine and four respectively, while Andy Carroll and Stewart Downing have five apiece. Such a spread in league action has been beneficial to the Hammers, who until recently were in the top four hunt, with sources across the XI having made the Irons one of the season’s surprise packages.

However, all is not entirely well at Upton Park, with some of the aforementioned players subject to changing circumstance. As has been proven over the years, Carroll cannot be relied on to stay fit for an entire season, while Sakho may yet fall into the ‘one season wonder’ category – although only time will tell. Downing is also in a somewhat out of the ordinary campaign in terms of goals scored and Valencia is likely to be used as a wide forward more often than not, which will limit his goalscoring chances.

So, another forward would be of use to Sam Allardyce (or whomever is in charge next season) and proven Premier League record would also be ideal. Hernandez’s £8m price tag should also be workable for the Hammers, who are set to on a level playing field with bigger sides financially due to the looming move to the Olympic Stadium.

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