Chicharito: MLS is more attractive than China

Jon Arnold

Chicharito: MLS is more attractive than China image

While he'd rather stay put at Bayer Leverkusen, Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez would be more interested in returning to North America than taking a big-money deal to play in the Chinese Super League.

"MLS is more attractive for me. But you never know what will happen in three, four or five years," Hernandez told reporters in Florida, where Bayer Leverkusen is taking part in the Florida Cup. "Never say never."

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Chicharito also said "it's crazy" to see the amount of money some Chinese Super League teams are paying but that the large sums of money aren't reason to dismiss the competition.

The Mexican forward has long been coveted my MLS and several of its teams not only for his scoring prowess but also for the marketing boost the immensely popular forward would provide. While there have been offers on the table, Hernandez so far hasn't been tempted away from the prestigious ranks of the UEFA Champions League.

The 28-year-old indicated that's still likely to be the case, as he's set on staying with Bayer Leverkusen this winter rather than making a move away from the Bundesliga. While reports have linked him with a return to the Premier League or a switch to Paris Saint-Germain, Hernandez said the Leverkusen's sporting manager and sporting director haven't indicated he's on the move.

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"Jonas Boldt and Rudi Voller have not told me anything about other clubs," he said. "I have only heard rumors, and nobody has tried to contact me or my agent. I am happy here. My only interest is staying at Bayer Leverkusen."

Jon Arnold

Jon Arnold Photo

Jon Arnold covered the Mexico national team and Concacaf region in English for Goal until March 2020. His byline also has appeared in the Dallas Morning News, the New York Times Goal blog, FloFC and Pacific Standard. In addition to his written work, he serves as the Concacaf expert on the BBC's World Football Phone-In and has appeared on SiriusXMFC in English and Fox Deportes and Milenio in Spanish. Formerly based in Tijuana and currently living in Texas, Jon covered the 2018 World Cup, the 2015 Copa America, the 2016 Copa America Centenario and the last five Gold Cups.