Hernandez ready to rock
Javi Hernandez says he is ready to rock in a Manchester United shirt when the Premier League season starts in a few weeks.
United signed the player before he went to the World Cup with Mexico, which turned out to be a very good move. Hernandez expressed his talent for Mexico and had the club tried to sign him now then they'd have ended up paying three times as much.
Hernandez says he is well aware of the pressure and physical demands of playing in the Premier League. However, he says he is still very hungry to do well in England and will work hard to make sure his talent develops.
The Mexican has a number of attributes that are very similar to those of Cristiano Ronaldo when he joined the club. Many are tipping Hernandez to do well this season but it's important he learns how to adapt to English football very quickly.
The Player
The one thing you notice about Hernandez very quickly is how small but fast he is. He darts about in attack and is a much more mature player than his appearance would lead many to think.
He has a few skills up his sleeve that he can use to get himself out of trouble. He will find in England that some teams try and push him off of the ball as soon as they can and they will try to bully him. He'll have to use every part of his skill to get out of the way of challenges flying in on him from all angles.
He seems to be a very passionate and hungry young man. He's already said that he will work hard to make sure the language barrier is not a problem and he says he's already spoken to other Mexicans playing in England to make sure that he can settle down quickly.
He said: "I have spoken to them and they are definitely happy for me and they know that this is the most powerful league in the world. They tell me to take advantage of the situation and I should thank God for the opportunity. I always try to see pressure in a different way - more like motivation. There are millions of people in the world who would do anything to be in my position and have this opportunity."
Must Adapt
Hernandez must adapt very quickly to Premier League life. His size is likely to make him a target for some teams who have no chance of coping with his skill and his pace.
United will try and bulk him up as soon as possible because if other teams try to kick him out of a game, like they did with Ronaldo, then it could lead to a horrific injury very early on in his Premier League life.
He added: "I will always try to enjoy it because sometimes we focus so much on the achievements and our dreams, and maybe we forget to enjoy it."
Advice
The reason Hernandez is so difficult to predict is because there is so very little to go on. He scored bags of goals for his domestic club side in Mexico and has done the same at international level but for some reason there is an air of pessimism from a lot of people over him playing in England.
United fans will be very happy because they may have found a new Ronaldo when other clubs are paying millions for established stars. Hernandez seems genuinely grateful to be at the club and this can work well in United's favour. Don't back him to be top scorer next season but he could pop in a goal or two at any time.
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