Bayer Leverkusen signed Mexico international Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez from Manchester United for help on the pitch, but the striker has already worked miracles for the Bundesliga club's social media presence.
The announcement of the sale of Hernandez's shirt at the club's online shop as well as the online introductory news conference took the club's server down on Wednesday, according to kicker.
The official news of Hernandez's transfer on Bayer Leverkusen's Twitter feed was retweeted more than 15,000 times, which was an unprecedented number of retweets for the German club.
#Chicharito has a new number. Check out his #Bayer04 shirt: http://t.co/mbXYh2Fq65 https://t.co/BhpR4Ld36h
- Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04fussball) September 3, 2015
On Facebook, the announcement got 50,000 likes that day, also a club record.
Hernandez has eight million followers on social media, 5.64M alone on Twitter.
That is more than double the followers of the Bundesliga's biggest club, Bayern Munich and more than double the amount of followers of the Bundesliga Twitter account in both German and English combined. Leverkusen has just 170,000 followers on Twitter.
Chivas Guadalajara, the Liga MX club who gave Hernandez his start, also tweeted a congratulatory message that was picked up by Hernandez himself.
Como mexicano, te deseamos lo mejor en tu camino @ch14_. Como canterano, ¡queremos verte triunfar en todas partes! pic.twitter.com/yI35XVJwMh
- CHIVAS (@Chivas) August 31, 2015
The 27-year-old arrived at Mexico's team hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah, just before lunch on Thursday but Mexico coach Ricardo "Tuca" Ferretti had already said Hernandez won't play against Trinidad and Tobago after playing a friendly on Wednesday for Leverkusen.
Hernandez suffered an ankle knock during his opening match against Paderborn, according to Bild, but Hernandez told ESPN Deportes that it was "just a bruise."
Chicharito informa en exclusiva para @ESPNmx que el problema del tobillo. "Sólo es un golpe", no más... pic.twitter.com/NhpEYAOQvC
- René Tovar Rodríguez (@Rene_Tovar) September 2, 2015
Mexico plays Argentina on Wednesday in Dallas ahead of the Oct. 10 playoff against the United States in the Rose Bowl for a place in the Confederations Cup 2017.