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Mexican soccer star Chicharito to reject MLS deal

By Alexandra Huber

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Mexican soccer star Chicharito will turn down offer from Orlando City SC

Mexican soccer star Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez plans to reject a deal to join Orlando City Soccer Club, according to a report from Mark Ogden of The Telegraph. Chicharito, who is currently on loan from Real Madrid, will pursue opportunities in either the English Premier League or Europe rather than signing with one of Major League Soccer’s newest teams.

Allegedly, Orlando City planed to target Chicharito in an effort to pair him with Brazilian superstar Kaka, who has a league-high salary of more than $7 million.

While Chicharito has been relatively unimpressive this year with Real Madrid, he continues to garner plenty of interest from teams across the Atlantic. According to The Daily Mail, squads including Southampton, Stoke, Everton, Inter Milan and Wolfsburg, among others, are interested in Chicharito, who has one year left on his contract. Rumors aside, he will have options in Europe, even if Manchester and Real are unlikely to buy him outright.

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Chicharito, a 26 year-old striker, garnered worldwide attention in his first year with Manchester United in the 2010-11 season, scoring 13 league goals. This season, however, after Manchester United loaned him to Real Madrid, his impact has been less than impressive.

Regardless, his production, popularity overseas, and ceiling would make him a huge signing for a North American team, especially one in the MLS. One like Orlando City.

Orlando City, Florida’s first MLS team since Miami Fusion FC and the Tampa Bay Mutiny folded in 2002, began its first season in the MLS this year, along with New York FC. Thus far, Orlando City has opened the season with a 1-2-2 record.

Floridians, to their credit, seem eager to embrace the new team in town. Early returns show impressive attendance numbers and many of the state’s Latin-American population are already fans of the sport. Chicharito surely would’ve moved the needle.

Though Chicharito’s non-signing is a blow for the club, the MLS’s popularity continues to grow and Orlando City provides proof, albeit a small sample size, that the MLS can flourish in Florida.

Luckily for Orlando City, they may be closing in on another striker.

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