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There have been rumblings in recent months that the unthinkable could happen -- a Manchester United player making the switch to Liverpool for the first time since 1964. The subject of the unusual rumor is 27-year-old Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez.
For some reason Hernandez has never drawn as much ire from Liverpool supporters as some of his teammates, and a loan to Real Madrid helped further dissipate any ill will between club and player. He's also a near perfect match for Liverpool's attack -- quick, instinctive, a natural scorer -- and is therefore a logical transfer target.
Recent reports from Portugal claimed that Liverpool were the favorites to sign Hernandez, with Sevilla also in the running. This comes after the Mexican striker said that first-team football is his "priority over anything else," which has been stretched to mean that he'd be willing suit up for the Reds.
However, it now appears that Orlando FC have become the frontrunner in the chase to land Hernandez. The club has confirmed that they are in talks with the player, although negotiations seem to be stalling.
"Right now we don't have anything done, and you know during the process of negotiations - where many clubs have interest, including us, because why not - the less we talk about it the better. So we'll see if there is a possibility and then we'll move forward," said Orlando FC's club owner Flavio Augusto da Silva, according to Sky Sports. "We hope in one or two weeks to be ready to talk about Chicharito in a different way."
Orlando FC can't compete with Liverpool's monetary resources if the Reds are seriously interested, and further, Liverpool can offer a much higher level of competition than the MLS. But if playing time really is the biggest issue for Hernandez, then he might prefer a move to Orlando where he'd be seen as a star. There's also the whole issue of Liverpool and Manchester United hating each other's guts, which could prove to be the biggest stumbling block of all. Still, it's an interesting rumor and something to keep an eye on as the transfer window progresses.
