Chicharito reportedly has to convince Pellegrini that he is worthy of a West Ham spot.
West Ham United star Javier Hernandez reportedly faces a fight on his hands to convince Manuel Pellegrini that he is worthy of a place in the Hammers squad – but that could come as bad news for a fellow high earner.
Hernandez, 30, currently earns a whopping £140,000 a week at the London Stadium after signing a three-year deal with the Hammers last summer, with Sky Sports claiming he is the club’s highest earner.
Pellegrini has plenty of options up front at his disposal, with Marko Arnautovic and Michail Antonio being converted into centre-forwards. Lucas Perez has also been drafted in from London neighbours Arsenal.
But with all three currently performing well, Hernandez face a fight to show he is worthy of being in the first-team squad as he finally returns from a virus that has kept him out of the last four games according to Mexican outlet Marca Claro.
Andy Carroll, then, will be worried. If Hernandez faces a fight to prove his worth, surely the big target man will face an even tougher battle when he finally overcomes an ankle injury which saw him go under the knife in the summer.
The 29-year-old England international has been dogged by injury problems throughout his career, limiting him to just 128 West Ham appearances in five seasons – an average of just over 25 games a season.
The Sun claim Carroll is also earning a big wage – on £90,000 a week. But with the likes of Antonio, Perez, Hernandez and Arnautovic ahead of him in the pecking order, he is simply too much an expensive asset to have as fifth choice.
If Hernandez struggles to show Pellegrini why he deserves a spot, then Carroll will be fighting a losing battle when he overcomes his ankle injury.
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