OPINION
With Sebastien Haller and Albian Ajeti arriving in the summer, Javier Hernandez surely slipped further down the pecking order at West Ham United.
The experienced forward was handed the chance to lead the line against Brighton and scored in the 1-1 draw, but missed Saturday’s trip to Watford.
It was first reported by Claret and Hugh that the Mexican had been riddled by a sickness bug, something that was later added to when Football.London suggested that the forward had picked up a knee injury.
If the two injuries weren’t enough to danger Hernandez’s first-team chances, then a third would surely be enough to frustrate Manuel Pellegrini going forward.
Claret and Hugh reported on Monday that the 31-year-old is set to miss the Carabao Cup second-round clash with Newport on Tuesday due to a thigh injury.
New signing Albian Ajeti is expected to replace the Mexican, with Pellegrini confirming to Football.London that the Swiss forward is set to make his full debut for the club on Tuesday – something that could knock Hernandez further down the pecking order if Ajeti is to do well.
Also, a thigh issue would be the third separate injury picked up in the past week by Hernandez, who is risking his future at the London Stadium if he can not stay fit.
Claret and Hugh also reported that the former Manchester United striker is set to leave the club in January, with a move to America likely, with Los Angeles FC expected to be readying a £5million bid.
As the clock ticks down towards the next transfer window, the continued injury struggles could surely put the nail in his Hammers’ career, with Pellegrini’s patience surely wearing thin.
Hernandez struggled against Brighton, when he did start, due to a lack of service but did what he does best when opening the scoring on the way to a 1-1 draw.
The 31-year-old has averaged 1.5 shots per game this season but has failed to complete a single dribble or key pass according to WhoScored.
Hernandez is surely putting a nail in his own West Ham career if he continues to pick up injuries so frequently – especially with January only months away.
