Hopefully, Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez didn't relinquish his residence in the Spanish capital. According to Fox Sports (via Express), Hernandez will remain in Madrid next season, just not with his former club.
Per the report, the Mexican international is being targeted by Atletico Madrid to replace the Juventus-bound Mario Mandzukic. Unable to afford the £25 million for Porto's Jackson Martinez, Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone sees Hernandez as a valuable plan B.
Especially after his match-winner against Atleti in the quarterfinals of the Champions League last season.
Wanting to feel valued again, the move would benefit the 27-year-old greatly. In an interview with Spanish outlet AS (via The Daily Mail), Hernandez admitted his frustration with his time at the Santiago Bernabeu.
"I learned a lot during my season at Real Madrid," he said. "It helped me find myself again as a player, but I had to warm the bench a lot. It was massively frustrating because I didn't feel important."
With no Mandzukic around to compete for minutes and Fernando Torres entering the twilight of his career, Hernandez will have the opportunity to feel important at the Vicente Calderon. His performance at the upcoming Gold Cup in July will go a long way in increasing his value, thus justifying a permanent transfer to a Champions League contender.
Hernandez made his international debut in 2009 and has 72 caps for El Tri. His 39 international goals are second only to Jared Borgetti and one away from breaking his tie with Cuauhtemoc Blanco.
He is projected to feature for Mexico in an international friendly against Costa Rica on June 27.
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