Manchester United transfer news: Louis van Gaal was wrong to let Javier Hernandez leave, says Ray Wilkins

Hernandez has scored 21 goals for club and country this season after leaving United in the summer

Former Manchester United midfielder Ray Wilkins has criticised Louis van Gaal’s decision to let striker Javier Hernandez leave in the summer, with the Mexico international firing in 21 goals in 29 appearances since joining Bayer Leverkusen.

Hernandez has already been linked with a rapid return to the Premier League after reports suggested Arsenal could move for the 27-year-old, although he only moved to Leverkusen in August in a £7.3m move after being told he was surplus to requirements by Van Gaal.

The forward has been one of the form strikers in Germany this season, with his 11 Bundesliga goals better only by Bayern Munich pair Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller and Borussia Dortmund forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who leads the way with 18 goals.

Speaking ahead of United’s 0-0 draw with Chelsea on Monday night which saw their winless run stretch to eight games, Wilkins claimed that Van Gaal’s decision to allow Hernandez to leave has come back to cost him given United’s current struggles to score goals having netted just five times in that eight-game run.

“I don’t quite understand how this guy’s playing outside this country,” Wilkins said on Talksport.

“He was a snip at £8m-£10m, 27 years of age, should not have been allowed to leave because he’s too talented.”

Hernandez has already admitted that he had no choice other than to leave United after Van Gaal told him his chances of playing as the lead striker were “one per cent”.

"I spoke with Van Gaal and he said that I only had a one per cent chance of playing in my position, so I headed to Bayer,” Hernandez said in an interview with Movistar as quoted by Marca.

"I felt confident from the very first day. I feel important, not just because of my goals, but because I feel that I'll start every game".

Hernandez has since been linked with a move back to the Premier League with Arsenal, although Olivier Giroud’s current form for the Gunners suggests that manager Arsene Wenger is unlikely to go after a striker in January. The club are closing in on the signing of Basel midfielder Mohamed Elneny, with the Egypt international due to undergo a medical on Tuesday ahead of a proposed £7.4m move when the transfer window reopens in January.