Report: LA Galaxy to make Chicharito highest-paid player in MLS
Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez, Mexico's all-time leading scorer, is set to leave Sevilla and join the LA Galaxy on a contract that will make him the highest-paid player in Major League Soccer, sources told Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl.
Galaxy general manager Dennis te Kloese made good on his promise to try and sign Hernandez, replacing Zlatan Ibrahimovic with another popular striker in his own right. Chicharito's played for a number of top European clubs, including Manchester United and Real Madrid, and leads the Mexican national team with 52 goals in 109 appearances.
The 31-year-old is expected to make more than Bastian Schweinsteiger, who earned a base salary of €5.6 million last season. Ibrahimovic pulled in €7.2 million in his final year with the Galaxy.
Hernandez will also have a chance to become a star again in Los Angeles. He joined Sevilla in September after a couple of forgettable seasons at West Ham, but his playing time was soon cut short by manager Julen Lopetegui. Hernandez made just four starts in La Liga and nine appearances overall in the top flight.
Known as a traditional No. 9 who thrives in the penalty area, Hernandez made a name for himself at United from 2010-14, scoring 37 goals in 105 Premier League outings.
He'll meet several of his countrymen in L.A., including Jonathan dos Santo, his new Galaxy teammate, and Carlos Vela, who stars for city rivals Los Angeles FC.
During a preseason session Monday, Vela said he'd welcome Hernandez and called him a "scoring machine."
"The Mexicans will be excited," Vela added.