Chicharito Granted Work Permit

Manchester United is pleased to announce that Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez has been granted a work permit and will join the club on 1 July 2010.

The Reds agreed a fee with Chivas de Guadalajara for the Mexico striker last month, but were required to apply for the permit because he has played in less than 75 per cent of his country's fixtures over the last two years.

Chicharito, who has already passed a medical and agreed personal terms, will join United's squad on the Philadelphia leg of July's pre-season trip to the USA and Canada.

Whether the 22-year-old makes his debut in that game will depend on how far Mexico progress in the World Cup. But he'll definitely be involved in the friendly United will play to open the new 45,000-capacity Chivas Stadium in Guadalajara at the end of July.

Chicharito was a second-half substitute in his country's 3-1 defeat by England on Monday, before scoring in a 2-1 reversal against the Netherlands on Wednesday.

Mexico complete their World Cup preparations with friendlies against Gambia and Italy in the next week, then kick off the tournament against hosts South Africa on 11 June.