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Soccer

Leverkusen chief not interested in selling Chicharito

By Alex Fisher FoxSports
Published | Updated
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LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY - JANUARY 30: Javier Hernandez Chicharito of Leverkusen celebrates scoring the 3:0 during the Bundesliga match between Bayer Leverkusen and Hannover 96 at BayArena on January 30, 2016 in Leverkusen, Germany. (Photo by Mika Volkmann/Bongarts/Getty Images)

Bayer Leverkusen has no intention of selling top scorer Javier Hernandez, according to chief executive Michael Schade.

Hernandez has been a revelation in the Bundesliga since switching to Leverkusen from Manchester United in August 2015, scoring 13 goals in 17 league appearances and firing the club into the top three.

Another nine goals have come in domestic and European cup competitions - a record he will hope to improve on Thursday against Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League.

Inevitably, Hernandez's rich vein of form in front of goal has led to him being linked with a move away from the club, with Liverpool and Arsenal reportedly interested in taking him back to the Premier League.

Schade is in no mood to sell, though, and believes Leverkusen is the perfect match for the 27-year-old.

"First of all, he has a contract," he told the Rheinische Post. "His move to us has shown that he is not only after the money. Hernandez has never said that he wants to leave. He feels comfortable because he knows he is appreciated. We are a team that allows him to play, he has benefited greatly from the style we play and from playing with his teammates. He will help us, but we also help him.

"If we reach the Champions League we have a very good chance of keeping him at the club."

Despite Schade's determination to keep Hernandez at the club, he also acknowledged an "exorbitant" bid for his services would have to be considered.

He added: "As of today, we don't want to sell any player, we want to keep the team together and improve. But we are a commercial company and there are thresholds. If such exorbitant bids come in, we will examine them and see what they bring us. In the case of Son [Heung-min, who left for Tottenham], ultimately the benefits of English money has helped us.

"I can say that for us Kevin Kampl and Hernandez as a package are more important than a single player. If we manage it the same with each transfer, we are strengthening the quality of our squad."