West Ham strikes deal with Leverkusen for Chicharito

The Premier League has become a destination for big-name strikers of late, and that trend continued Thursday with Mexican international Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez swapping Bayer Leverkusen for West Ham.

West Ham announced the move with a statement on its website, adding that Chicharito, 29, and the club will now finalise personal terms following a medical on a reported £13-million deal.

Chicharito returns to England's top flight after a two-year spell at the BayArena, where the 96-time capped El Tri striker bagged 34 goals in all competitions including 17 during the 2015-16 Bundesliga campaign. The Guadalajara product previously spent five years on Manchester United's books, which included a season-long loan at Real Madrid.

For the Irons, the acquisition of Chicharito addresses a dearth of goal-scoring at the London Stadium.

West Ham's 47 goals scored last season was a drab result fitting of its mid-table standing. Versatile full-back-cum-forward Michail Antonio led Slaven Bilic's charges with nine goals as the 11th-placed club struggled to acclimate to its new digs.