The interwebs are abuzz with the news being reported by various sites that West Ham United are closing in on the signing of midfielder Pablo Fornals.
Now that attention has turned from the double swoop of Celta Vigo duo Maxi Gomez and Stanislav Lobotka due to the cost of the latter; West Ham United have a new top target in Villereal Midfielder Pablo Fornals.
Outside of the goal that Fornals scored to beat Real Madrid in La Liga back in 2018, most Hammer’s fans likely haven’t seen much of the Spainaird.
As Green Street Hammer’s own Scott Johnson points out, Fornals is just the type of player the Hammers need, the Hammers supporters want, and that Manuel Pellegrini is comfortable playing.
He most often is deployed as a No 10 and upon joining the club will provide competition to Manuel Lanzini and Jack Wilshire for that spot in the starting XI. To be fair too, when it comes to those two players, it also provides injury cover.
Wilshere barely got on the pitch last season; and when Lanzini returned from his own long term injury, his performances ran hot and cold. So Fornals could be an upgrade from the moment he arrives in East London.
The fact that Fornals can also be deployed as a winger provides more depth and options to the squad for Pellegrini. Speaking of wingers, one of the traits that he brings is the passing ability that allows him to get the ball out to the wingers. That possible link up with the likes of Filipe Andersen in the attack is exciting. Not to mention how many times last season when his head was right with the ball, did Arnautovic lack the service he needed in the final third? If Fornals can pull the strings for those two in particular then he will be a welcome addition to the club.
Much has been made about fan favorite Lanzini and his recent contract talks that depending on who you read and who you believe are either contentious as he looks for a way out, or are just part of the normal ins and outs of football business today.
Getting Fornals over the line would be shrewd business for the club then on every front–his skills on the pitch; his abilities vs the current players in that role on the club; potential injury coverage for those same two players and a potential replacement and upgrade for Lanzini if that contract issue turns into an impasse.
This is the kind of signing that West Ham supporters can get excited about as it makes all kinds of sense for a club that just a few summers and managers ago, seemed to have no plan in the transfer market.