Club career
Valencia
Born in Castellón de la Plana, Province of Castellón, Valencian Community, Hernández was a product of Valencia's youth system (operating as striker in the B team). He made his debut with the main squad on the last matchday of 2005–06, playing 20 minutes in a 2–1 away loss against Osasuna. [5] Midway through the following season, he was loaned to Segunda División side Cádiz. [6]
In July 2007, Valencia included Hernández in the transfer that brought Alexis from Getafe to the Mestalla Stadium, but would re-buy him for €1 million in July 2008. [7] The player was subsequently signed to a six-year contract. [8]
Hernández scored his first goal for Valencia on 27 November 2008, in a 4–0 win over Rosenborg in the group stage of the UEFA Cup, after an individual effort. [9] After having subbed in for Rubén Baraja in the second half of a home fixture with Recreativo, he netted his second and first in the league, in a 1–1 draw in March 2009. The following month, also as a replacement but now for Joaquín, [10] he added his third, in a 3–1 home defeat of Sevilla – deep into injury time, against ten men. [11]
On 25 April 2009, this time as a starter, [12] Hernández fired the hosts into the 2–1 lead against Barcelona, following a run between four players and a one-two with Juan Mata; the match ended 2–2. [13] He scored the second goal in 2009–10's opener, against Sevilla in a 2–0 home victory. [14] Fully established in the starting XI now over Joaquín, he continued to produce fine displays during the campaign, including a 40-meter lob to help defeat Almería 3–0 away. [15]
Hernández scored twice against Club Brugge in extra time of the UEFA Europa League round-of-32 second leg game played at the Mestalla on 25 February 2010, for a 3–0 win (3–1 on aggregate). [16] In 2010–11, he continued battling with Joaquín for first-choice status. On 7 December 2010, he netted at Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League, putting his team 1–0 up at half-time in a 1–1 group stage draw. [17]
Al-Arabi
On 15 July 2014, Hernández joined Al-Arabi on a three-year deal, having started talks with the Qatari club the previous week. The fee was unknown, but it was speculated that the fee would be lower than the amount paid by Swansea to Valencia for his services two years before. [23]
Hernández returned to Spain and its top tier on 31 August 2015 after a loan spell at Al-Nasr, agreeing to a one-year loan deal with Rayo Vallecano. [24] He started regularly for the team from the Madrid outskirts, who ended the campaign with relegation.
Leeds United
On 2 August 2016, Hernández signed with Championship club Leeds United on a six-month loan deal, with the option of a permanent move in January 2017, linking up with former Swansea manager Garry Monk [25] and being given the number 19 shirt. [26] After the former failed to receive his paperwork in time from the Qatar Football Association for the opening fixture against Queens Park Rangers (which ended in a 3–0 defeat), [27] he made his debut on 10 August in a 3–2 win at Fleetwood Town in the EFL Cup. [28]
Hernández's league debut for Leeds came in a 1–2 home loss to Birmingham City, on 13 August 2016. [29] On 17 September he scored his first goal, with a curling effort in a 2–0 victory over Cardiff City. [30] On 5 November, he picked up a hamstring injury late on in a 3–2 win against Norwich City at Carrow Road, [31] returning to action after almost two months; [32] he celebrated his return on 26 December with a goal after replacing Hadi Sacko, helping defeat hosts Preston North End 4–1. [33]
Hernández signed a permanent six-month contract on 9 January 2017, with the option to extend the link by 12 months at the end of the season. [34] [35] He appeared in his first match after the new agreement four days later, helping his team climb to third in the table after beating Derby County 1–0 at home and being named Player of the match in the process. [36]
On 17 May 2017, the 32-year-old Hernández agreed to a new one-year deal. [37] On 16 April 2018, he was nominated as one of four players for the Leeds Player of The Year award. [38] Ten days later, he ended speculation about his future (with his contract close to expiry) by signing a new two-year extension until June 2020, [39] and on 5 May, he won both its Player of the Year and Players Player Of The Year awards at the annual ceremony. [40]
On 25 August 2018, after Hernández had scored his third goal in five league games, manager Marcelo Bielsa hailed him as "a complete player from every point of view", adding that he had only rarely in his career seen a wide player exert such influence over the whole pitch. [41] On 5 September, he won the Professional Footballers' Association Championship Player Of The Month award for August. [42]
After helping Leeds to a third-place finish in the 2018–19 campaign, Hernández was voted into the PFA Team of the Year on 24 April. [43] [44] Four days later, he again won his team's Player of the Year and Players Player Of The Year awards. [45]
On 19 November 2019, Hernández put pen to paper to an extension until 2022. [46] His two crucial match-winning goals at home in early 2020 against Millwall [47] and Reading were key to maintaining sustained pressure on West Bromwich Albion at the top of the table. [48] He finished with nine for the eventual champions by the end of the season, [49] in a return to the Premier League after 16 years. [50]
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