Ex-Man Utd star Javier Hernandez finds love with model Nicole McPherson

FORMER Man United and West Ham star Javier Hernandez has found love with a stunning Ecuadorian model.

The soccer star, who last year admitted to failings as a father and partner following his painful split from stunning wife Sarah Kohan, is said to be dating brunette beauty Nicole McPherson.

McPherson, who has a five-year-old son called Leo from a previous relationship, spent the festive break with the Mexican star and friends from Javier's native country.

She posted a photo of the footballer, now playing for LA Galaxy, on her social media showing him performing his own version of Miley Cyrus' hit "Wrecking Ball.”

Confirmation the couple are now an item came with footage of a woman identified as Nicole putting her arms around Mexican international Javier, better-known by his nickname of Chicharito or 'Little Pea', and locking lips with him as he played football with pals in Miami.

The footage was broadcast by an American Spanish-language entertainment pop culture show called 'El Gordo y La Flaca' - which literally translates into English as 'The Fat Man and the Skinny Woman'.

Nicole, who showed off her stunning curves during her holiday in Mexico's Baja California Sur with Javier, has yet to make any official comment about her relationship with the soccer star.

She penned a cryptic message to Instagram followers at the start of the New Year which read: “I hope your relationships and connections evolve to their most authentic and deepest state this year.”

She then added: “And that you feel with certainty that what you completely desire is available to you.”

One fan responded by urging Nicole: “Look after our beloved Little Pea and get him motivated.

“We want to see him at the World Cup. You're beautiful.”

Hernandez, who also played for Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen, put his hands up to his marriage failings last autumn in a warts and all interview following his painful split from Australian Sarah Koh

He also confessed to depression brought on by his personal life tribulations including the death of his beloved grandfather.

The 33-year-old footballer, whose beautiful WAG wife first sparked split reports by jetting to her native Australia alone with their two children in 2020, didn't mention Sarah by name in his interview.

But he told US sports and pop culture website The Ringer: “I wasn't the best partner I needed to be, I wasn't the greatest dad that I wanted to be.

“I wasn't a great friend. I wasn't the great human being I wanted to be.”

Hernandez's sister Ana Silvia, speaking about the death of their former professional footballer grandad Tomas Balcazar nearly two years ago, added: “It kind of broke him.

“I don't know how he managed to get through that season. It was like all his world collapsed in a minute.”

Hernandez, who scored 37 goals for Man Utd and 16 for West Ham before leaving the Premier League for a second spell in Spain, has persistently dodged questions about his relationship with the mother of his two children Noah and Nala.

The couple celebrated Noah's second birthday together last June with a party they organised that Sarah published photos of on her social media.

The birthday bash took place around the time US website TMZ Sports reported Hernandez's wife had filed for divorce.

The website also claimed influencer Kohan had claimed in court documents filed by her lawyer her footballer partner did not participate in the day-to-day parenting of his two kids and demanded around £73,000 a month for “child and spousal support”.

Hernandez made no reference to Sarah or their high-profile reported divorce in his interview with The Ringer.

Describing his late grandad as his “second father” he revealed he lost the will to wake up, eat and even make his bed after his death and would cry while training alone during the coronavirus pandemic.

He also admitted he told friends he had considered quitting football for good when he was at his lowest ebb.

Hernandez, who now sports a tattoo on his arm which says 'Love is my superpower', joined LA Galaxy on a three-year contract in January 2020.

He is Mexico's record goalscorer with 52 goals for the national side but no longer features for his country, although speculation is growing he may get a recall ahead of the World Cup in Qatar.

He missed several games last season for LA Galaxy because of injury and his side were unable to qualify for the play-offs.