Football
Richard Jolly, ESPN.com writer 9y

Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez will get Manchester United chance - Van Gaal

Javier Hernandez will be given a chance to resurrect his Manchester United career after Louis van Gaal said there is a place in the squad for the striker this season.

The Mexican has only made two competitive appearances under the Dutchman, and was loaned out to Real Madrid last season before entering the final year of his contract at Old Trafford.

There is interest in Hernandez from other clubs, with Orlando City confirming they want to sign him, but Van Gaal said he will have an opportunity in his squad after the exodus of other strikers.

Robin van Persie completed a move to Fenerbahce this week, Radamel Falcao was not signed after an unsuccessful loan spell and Danny Welbeck was sold to Arsenal last summer, leaving Van Gaal without an experienced alternative to captain Wayne Rooney.

The Dutchman had a surfeit of strikers 12 months ago and explained in a news conference in Seattle: "At the time, we have to decide which strikers we could have at Manchester United. We have already four strikers: we have Welbeck, we have Chicharito [Hernandez], we have Van Persie, we have [James] Wilson.

"Then I have to make a decision that I let go Chicharito and Welbeck because I have bought also Falcao. When you play a system with two strikers or one striker then you [have to] make decisions and I let Chicharito go but now he is coming back."

Van Gaal also revealed Wednesday that Hernandez and Angel Di Maria will be joining United's U.S. tour on July 25.

United have been linked with Paris Saint-Germain's Edinson Cavani and Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski but Van Gaal refused to comment on either striker.

But he revealed he had told Van Persie, who captained his Holland team in the 2014 World Cup, at the end of last season that he would be sold.

"I have already had the conversation at the end of the season so he knew already what was coming and I think he did a very good choice," Van Gaal said. "After we played golf [in May], we talked about the perspective for him at Manchester United."

Van Gaal revealed he had sent Van Persie a good-luck message, saying: "I wish him all the best and I have also texted that to him."

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