Rumor: LAFC already lining up move for Chicharito

Is LAFC moving closer to bringing Chicharito to their club?

That's the report on ESPN on Thursday, as John Sutcliffe announced (Spanish) that among other things, Mexican superstar Javier Hernandez has been in talks with MLS to bring him to the new team when his current deal with Bayer Leverkusen runs out. He signed a three-year deal with the German club in August, so presumably it would run out in the summer of 2018, following the end of the 2017-18 season.

LAFC has announced they will begin play in MLS in 2018. Assuming the schedule remains similar to recent years, the season will begin in March of that year.

Chicharito is currently 27, so would be 30 in 2018 if he came to LAFC. He's one of the most accomplished Mexican soccer players in Europe, and is a massive star, eclipsing all other compatriots, even Giovani dos Santos, who is of course with the LA Galaxy. Sutcliffe said LAFC were interested in Chicharito in part to compete with the Galaxy for star power.

Now, there's a long time before 2018, and Sutcliffe has a mixed record in reporting MLS items, although he did accurately report MLS was going to buy Chivas USA back from Jorge Vergara in 2014. But assuming Chicharito doesn't suffer a massive injury that derails his career or hopelessly fall out of form for good (or retire, I suppose that's theoretically possible), he would be a huge signing, for LAFC and MLS. It would be a way to start the club's tenure on the field -- and off -- with a real bang. Stay tuned, we'll keep you posted on this and other LAFC stories.

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