Javi Hernández's assist surge fuels LaLiga ascent for Espanyol

Javi Hernández, the 22‑year‑old Barcelona‑born mediapunta, has started every one of the Siete jornadas of LaLiga, totalling 556 minutes and providing four assists, which puts him level with Anthony Gordon and Lamine Yamal at the top of the league’s assist chart.

Under manager Manolo González, Hernández is the second most used field player in the Liga, coming only after Roberto, highlighting the coach’s confidence in his abilities.

Loan spells and return

He entered Espanyol’s cantera at fourteen, later becoming a pillar of the reserve side overseen by González before two loan moves – first to Huesca for minutes and then to Mirandés, where he netted seven goals and added three assists in 21 matches after overcoming an injury.

Returning this summer, Hernández marked his comeback by scoring against Middlesbrough during the English tour, completing the comeback at the Riverside Stadium.

Beyond assists, he contributes 3.4 dribbles per 90 minutes and engages in 10.5 offensive duels per match, ranking third in the Primera for duels and second among midfielders for dribbles.

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Three of his four assists this season have found Roberto, underlining a productive on‑field connection between the two.

Awards and international call‑up

His early impact broke the assist tally he set during his Mirandés loan in just seven matches and earned him the August best under‑23 LaLiga player award.

He received his first Spain under‑21 call‑up, named by David Gordo for the Euro 2027 qualifiers against Finland on 25 September in Tampere, San Marino on 1 October, and Romania on 6 October in Ibiza.

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Alongside Roberto and Vanja Drkusic, Hernández is one of three Espanyol internationals in this window, and the club sees his progression as a sign of present‑day importance rather than a future gamble.