Javier Hernández has admitted that his spell on the bench at Manchester United did not help his development and believes he is now benefiting from a sustained run of matches for Bayer Leverkusen.
The Mexico international was allowed to leave Old Trafford last summer having started just 12 Premier League matches in the previous two seasons. Having spent last season on loan at Real Madrid, Hernández moved to Germany for a fee believed to be around £8m and has since established himself in the Bundesliga, scoring 19 goals in all competitions for Roger Schmidt’s side.
“What I was missing in the last two or three years, it was like I was playing sometimes and then returning to the bench,” he told the Orlando Sentinel. “But now that I am playing most of the game or almost all of my games here in my club, that’s what I need.
“Because people sometimes think the confidence is with goals, but I don’t think like that. I think confidence is to play day-by-day, to get rhythm.”
Currently fifth in the table, Leverkusen resume after the winter break against Hoffenheim on Saturday.
