After a tumultuous season, at best, Manchester United have found themselves on their heels with one of their prized stars. According to multiple rumor-laden sources (read: I wouldn't take it to mean anything more than rumors), Chicharito has expressed a strong desire to be transferred out of the club, and ultimately out of the Premiere League. We've addressed the idea of Chicharito to Major League Soccer before, but in light of recent MLS moves this offseason does anybody truly believe this would be beyond possible?
I posed the question on Twitter if Houston Dynamo fans would even want Chicharito. Responses ran from the mundane "yes, please" to the very adamant, "no, he's a selfish player". The points were made the Dynamo have zero budget space with which to maneuver and Chicharito isn't really a Dominic Kinnear type of player. Yet still I wonder.
MLS willingly doled out funds to help bring coveted banner boy Clint Dempsey back to the United States and its professional soccer league, so it would serve to reason Liga Bancomer MX would offer up similar to its coveted banner boy Javier Hernandez. Would MLS dole out for a non-US player?
Let's look at the reasons I believe there remains a small possibility it could happen and why such a transfer shouldn't be completely dismissed as a pipedream.
1) Major League Soccer's media rights deal is up at the end of this 2014 season. This is important because the more big name, superstar players in the league, the more leverage the league has to push for higher media rights fees from the big players such as ESPN, NBC Universal, etc.
2) Major League Soccer has established a precedence for such moves. While Hernandez wouldn't exactly be the "Beckham Effect", some MLS ownership individuals (Joe Roth, cough cough) think he could be awful close, and they feel he'd warrant spending big.
3) Major League Soccer is willing to splash the cash if they see a real financial benefit for the entire league. Chicharito is an instant ticket draw, and not only from Hispanics. His name and the weight he carries fresh from the Premiere League would be an absolute boon for MLS, especially with ticket sales in other markets beyond just Houston.
4) Houston Dynamo have the leverage to make such a transfer possible by trading away one or two young assets for allocation money which can then be used to buy down the actual budget hit of Hernandez. There are a few possibilities for trading away a player or two to make up the amount in allocation money, and there are teams who would be willing to give up their allocation money in return.
5) Houston Dynamo consistently "sell out" the stadium throughout the season, but rarely does that translate into butts in seats for game day. Hernandez is the kind of draw where fans would pick up tickets on the secondary market even for sell outs to come and see him play. This may seem very empty fiscally speaking, but it matters to the team and the league. Especially right now.
6) Houston Dynamo minority owners Oscar de la Hoya and Gabriel Brenner would surely encourage a signing of a Mexican National Team player who carries a significant fanbase with him wherever he goes.
7) Javier Hernandez is still young at just 25, and let's be honest, is the age range the Houston Dynamo prefer with their Designated Players whenever possible. Youth means a chance to land a player who could stick around for a substantial period of time.
8) Boniek Garcia may not be in MLS past the remainder of this season. This is a big one, and one of the primary reasons I actually could see such a transfer happening. They don't exactly have anyone rumored to be lining up at the door of BBVA Compass Stadium to sign from other countries.
These reasons aren't the only ones, nor are they 100% sound, but I do believe there is a sliver of a chance this could happen. It really is up to our Front Office and Major League Soccer whether they see enough of a bottom line boost to make such a transfer a reality, or whether it really does remain simply a pipe dream.
What do you think?