Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez said that he enjoyed his stint at Old Trafford but had to make the decision to move to German Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen because of Manchester United boss Louis Van Gaal.

Hernandez said in an interview at Spanish TV show "Fiebre Maldini" that he is thankful to former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson for giving him the opportunity to become one of the first Mexicans to play for top-tier club in Europe.

Hernandez said that he enjoyed his early years at Old Trafford, but admitted that he was disappointed of lack of playing time after Ferguson decided to call it quits.

"I was extremely lucky to be the first Mexican player to move to one of the biggest clubs in the world," Hernandez told the Spanish TV show, as quoted by Marca. "I had a great time there. I had an incredible start, full of opportunities, although those opportunities dwindled over time and things took a turn for the worse."

After Van Gaal took over last season, Hernandez was sent on loan to Real Madrid, where Chicharito made an impact, particularly during their Champions League campaign. He tallied nine goals in 33 appearances for Real Madrid last season and scored the game-winning goal during their Champions League quarterfinal win against Atletico Madrid.

Following his fruitful stint at Bernabeu, he returned to Manchester United early in the season, but was only used in three games as substitute.

Van Gaal favored veteran striker Wayne Rooney and also added Anthony Martial, leaving lesser room for Hernandez in the rotation. Hernandez said that he had to move to Bayer Leverkusen after Van Gaal told him that he will only have one percent chance of playing his position at Old Trafford.

"I spoke with Van Gaal and he said that I only had a one percent chance of playing in my position, so I headed to Bayer," Hernandez said, when asked why he decided to accept the move to the German Bundesliga club.

Unlike during his stint at Old Trafford under Van Gaal, Hernandez is getting a lot of opportunities to make an impact at Bayer. In 13 German Bundesliga matches, Chicharito has already netted 10 goals. He said that he felt comfortable since moving to Bayer because he was given a big role.

"I felt confident from the very first day," Hernandez added. "I feel important, not just because of my goals, but because I feel that I'll start every game."