Striker offers to play for Manchester United for free

Manchester United had a disastrous season in 2021/22, and it now seems like they are still not on course to make major improvements this season. After starting their Premier League campaign with a 2-1 loss to at Old Trafford to Brighton and Hove Albion, former Red Devils striker Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez has admitted that he can return for free.

The Mexican currently plays for Major League Soccer (MLS) side LA Galaxy, but claimed that if his former employers came calling, he would be willing to head back to England even if they can't pay him a dime. Of course, Manchester United is one of the richest clubs in the world and they won't have trouble paying his wages, but he said it as a way of conveying how much he values his former club.

Manchester United finished only 6th in the Premier League last season, which is something unthinkable for the 20-time champions. They welcomed Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo back into the fold in 2021, but despite being the club's top scorer last season, it was not enough to lift the club as a whole.

Having failed to qualify for the Champions League, Ronaldo is believed to be keen on forcing a move elsewhere. Chicharito, meanwhile, has other ideas.

"If you are my age and United comes I would say 'yes, I'll play for free.' Of course I would do that, but I want to be very respectful [to LA Galaxy]," he said, during a press conference ahead of the MLS All-Star game.

He then clarified that his current priority is with the LA Galaxy. "My mind and convictions are about winning a championship with LA Galaxy," he said, adding: "right now my mind is a hundred percent in this organisation."

The Mexican played for Manchester United from 2010 to 2015, spending his final season on loan to Spanish giants Real Madrid. He then made a permanent move to Bayer Leverkusen and then back to the Premier League with West Ham United. He spent his final year in Europe with Sevilla in 2019/20 before joining LA Galaxy.

To date, his most successful stint has been with the Red Devils, where he scored 37 goals in 103 appearances.