LONDON: West Ham United are close to agreeing a deal to sign former Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez, according to widespread media reports. The Premier League side have been chasing the 29-year-old frontman throughout the summer, and appear confident of landing Mexico’s all-time leading goalscorer from Bayer Leverkusen. No fee has yet been agreed with the Bundesliga outfit, although some media outlets suggest that the Hammers will need to splash £16 million ($20.8 million, 17.9 million euros) to prise Hernandez away from the Bay Arena. Hernandez – widely known by the nickname Chicharito – spent four seasons with Manchester United, where he scored 59 goals in 156 appearances, before going on loan to Real Madrid in the 2014/15 campaign. The two-time Premier League winner left Old Trafford in August 2015 for Germany, where he’s been even more prolific, netting 39 times in 76 matches for Leverkusen. The Hammers, meanwhile, have agreed to sign Stoke City forward Marko Arnautovic with the Austrian due to have a medical. Published in Daily Times, July 21st, 2017.