August 23, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; LAFC team crest on display at Los Angeles Football Club Stadium Site. The venue will be named Banc Of California Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

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The summer rumors mill begins to churn. Bundesliga star Striker Javier Chicharito Hernandez will pick up big money in 2018 from MLS expansion team Los Angeles FC (LAFC).

Chicharito, 28, plays formations common in MLS. He can have an immediate impact on any MLS team, including the entire league’s profile. If he has solid midfielders feeding him the ball up front, as his Bayer Leverkusen’s 4-4-2 double diamond, he can keep up with the best strikers in the league.

Big Money After Summer Transfer

Metro’s Kristian Dyer on April 22 cited an unnamed league source claiming Los Angeles FC was making progress to bring the striker to the MLS:

The source said that the deal for Chicharito would make him the “highest salaried player in MLS history,” a deal that could potentially reach in excess of $10 million per season.

The Guardian reports Bayer Leverkusen will sell his contract in the summer transfer period. Chicharito’s contributions on the pitch faded too much this season for them to move forward.

“Nonetheless he is likely to fetch a reasonable price in the summer, with clubs in England or Spain likely to offer the opportunity to continue his career in Europe, although a return to Mexico may be an option.”

While Bundesliga fans saw reduced play this season. Expectations still remain high for Chicharito’s Mexican National Team work. He scored 46 goals in 90 appearances with El Tri.

Despite waning performance, he has posted the most Champions League appearances by a Mexican player. He set that record with his 47th appearance on February 21.

Contract Line Forming

Partado-online says teams have lined up to for Chicharito’s contract. That includes Arsenal, Villareal in Spain and Chivas de Guadalajara. Also, SB Nation’s Alicia Rodriguez on February 24 added the LA Galaxy. That team favors the same double diamond formation as Bayer Leverkusen.

“For LAFC, Chicharito would be both a quality player and perhaps the most marketable player in North America to help launch the expansion team, while a scenario in which the Galaxy acquire him would effectively help the MLS rich get richer and signal the Galaxy’s intent to keep a stranglehold over the local market and MLS as a whole.”

Will we see Chicharito take the MLS pitch in 2018? At this point his options are wide open, and depends on what the player is looking for leading into World Cup 2018.