Espanyol loan out Javi Hernández to Mirandés as midfield prospect seeks game time
The promising Espanyol academy product heads to Segunda División side Mirandés until the end of the season after struggling for minutes in Barcelona.
Espanyol have sent promising midfielder Javi Hernández on loan to Segunda División side CD Mirandés until the end of the season, as the youngster looks to get his development back on track after a frustrating spell on the sidelines.
Limited opportunities at Espanyol
The Catalan club’s flying form this season has created a proper selection headache for the gaffer, with competition for places leaving some talented lads watching from the stands. Young Javi has been one of those casualties, failing to make a single appearance for the first team this campaign.
A nasty foot injury at the start of the season kept him in the treatment room for a few months, which likely scuppered his chances of breaking into the squad when opportunities might have presented themselves.
Second stint in the Segunda
This won’t be Hernández’s first rodeo in Spain’s second tier. He spent last season on loan at SD Huesca, where he impressed in the Hypemotion League (Segunda División). The club clearly sees this move as a chance for the midfielder to regain his confidence and continue his development in a competitive environment.
At Mirandés, he’ll find a familiar face in fellow Espanyol academy graduate Rafa Bauza, who’s also currently on loan at the Miranda de Ebro-based club. Having a mate from the Dani Jarque academy setup might help him settle in quicker than you can say “bubble and squeak”.
Long-term faith
Despite shipping him out temporarily, Espanyol still rate the youngster highly. He’s considered one of the pearls of their youth system, and the brass at the Barcelona club view this move as purely developmental. The plan is for Hernández to return to Catalonia next season as a more complete player ready to challenge for first-team minutes.
Mirandés has developed a bit of a reputation as a solid finishing school for loanees, with their Anduva stadium providing the perfect proving ground for young talent looking to make their mark. For Javi, it’s a proper chance to show what he’s all about away from the bright lights of Barcelona.