Mexico legend Javier Chicharito Hernandez completes shock USL Championship transfer

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Tom Weber | Writer

Multilingual sports writer who specialises in European football and American soccer.

Atletico Dallas are set to announce former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker Javier Hernandez as their first-ever signing.

The Texas-based club will join the second-tier USL Championship as an expansion franchise next year. Founded in late 2024, Atletico will become the second professional men's soccer team in the Dallas area.

The newly created team is managed by former FC Dallas player Peter Luccin. He knows soccer in the area better than perhaps anyone, having built up his own academy and then spent years as a coach in the Major League Soccer club's organisation.

Speaking to French media in February, the Marseille-born tactician announced that Atletico would go big in the transfer market in order to build a team that can quickly establish themselves as an elite side in the Championship.

Naturally, Luccin planned to lean heavily on his expertise in the French market, and he even teased potential signings from Ligue 1 and Ligue 2. However, Atletico Dallas' very first recruit does not hail from France.

Atletico Dallas to sign Chicharito

According to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, Atletico will make Mexico legend Chicharito their first-ever signing. It will mark the striker's return to the United States after leaving the LA Galaxy to return to boyhood club Chivas in early 2024.

This is certainly a statement signing for Atletico and the USL Championship, although it is perhaps fair to say that Hernandez will be more influential behind the scenes than on the pitch.

The 38-year-old has been without a club since leaving Chivas at the turn of the year, and he has not played regular football in four years. He won't have played a competitive game in well over a year by the time the 2027 Championship season kicks off next year.

Chicharito can look back on a hugely illustrious career. He won 109 caps for Mexico and played 157 matches for Man Utd. The striker also featured for Real Madrid and starred at Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga.

Hernandez's career at the very elite level was effectively ended when he tore his ACL in 2023. He has played 1,667 minutes of soccer across 41 appearances since getting back to full fitness in 2024.

Atletico will officially announce the signing of Chicharito imminently after teasing his arrival with a Spanish-language clip on social media on Sunday. Chicharito will suit up for Atletico at the historic Cotton Bowl in their expansion season next year.