West Ham have completed the signing of Villareal and Spanish Under-21 playmaker, Pablo Fornals in a deal worth around £24million making him the second-most expensive signing in the club’s history behind Felipe Anderson, who cost £42m when he joined from Lazio last summer.
The capture of Pablo Fornals represents a significant statement of intent from both Manuel Pellegrini and the club as a whole with the midfielder regularly touted as one of the brightest prospects in European football. Also very well known to Pellegrini who was also on the books of Malaga as a coach from 2010 – 2013, though Fornals was plying his trade in the youth setup while Pellegrini was in charge of the first team.
So what are the origins of West Ham’s new addition?
Born in Castellon de la Plana, Valencian community, Fornals joined Malaga’s youth set-up in 2012 at the age of 16 from CD Castellon. The 23-year-old is only four seasons into his relatively short career so far having spent two of them at Malaga and only just recently completing his second season at Villareal. Fornals made his top-flight debut for Malaga in 2015 as a 20-year-old when he played in the impressive 0-0 draw against Real Madrid then two months after scoring his first competitive goal in a 2-2 draw with Granada finding the net just four minutes after coming on as a substitute. Later that year, making his mark on the scene once again scoring a brace against close rivals Valencia in a 2-2 draw.
The Spanish hotshot then moved to Villareal in the summer of 2017, officially starting out his footballing journey as a youngster signing a five-year contract and in mid January 2018, he got his first calendar year with the club off to the perfect start with a wonderfully chipped goal from a swift counter-attack in the clubs first ever win over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu. Before all this, he was called up to the Spanish squad for the first time by Vicente Del Bosque having made ten appearances for the Under-21 side. A further representation of the kind of talent Fornals harnesses that Del Bosque was so desperate to utilise within his star-studded Spain squad.
What can Fornals bring to the West Ham table?
Pablo Fornals is a player with an array of flair, technique and skill. A player Manuel Pellegrini will surely be licking his lips at the prospect of making the most of as the Chilean coach intends on building a side capable of causing a disruption to the so called ‘top six’. Over the past couple seasons, West Ham have fallen short of those lofty aspirations of a Europa League place. It must have been even more damning for the club to see Wolverhampton Wanderers who were only promoted this time last year take the English flight by storm and as a result securing their place in the Europa League which resumes in September. No one could have even imagined their outstanding campaign but much of there success draws on sound recruitment and a connection pool that is well renowned – something West Ham have been desiring for so long.
It may have been leaving Manuel Pellegrini asking and answering numerous questions as to how a squad filled with such talent and experience are unable to challenge for the Europa League places. However, the signing of Pablo Fornals may just be the start of something new for West Ham. This Spanish wonderkid could help end the cycle of West Ham’s underachievement. This is a player, a talent that can drive the club to where they desire to be.
Capable of playing in a number of positions across the midfield whether in no.8, no. 6 or even no.4. Fornals is at his most destructive in the final third of play roaming around in his accustomed no.10 position or even as a second striker. A player in a similar mould to Manuel Lanzini in that both players are built similarly – a small frame but blessed with a blend of technical and creative abilities to be able to conjure up chances when under intense pressure or when attempting to evade tight spaces in the final phases of play.
In his first season at the Estadio de la Cerámica, Fornals was amongst high company in the creative department registering an astonishing 12 assists in the 2017/18 La Liga campaign, numbers that were matched and bettered by Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi. An impressive feat for a player who was beginning to find his feat.
What’s also impressive in Fornal’s game is his knack of executing the outstanding, if you need any evidence, check out this astonishing piece of skill against Athletico Bilbao last season:
Such an incredibly gifted player. Clips such as those can only increase the excitement amongst the West Ham camp. Pure moments of brilliance, moments that are to lift bums of seats and that’s the calibre of showings that West Ham have been crying out for since Dimitri Payet graced their presence only a few seasons ago. Pablo Fornals can be that man.
As pointed out above by Spanish football expert and ESPN editor David Cartlidge, Fornals would instantly complement West Ham’s midfield options especially in the creative department with Pellegrini not entirely certain on the commitment and fitness of Manuel Lanzini though the addition of Fornals may become a kick up the backside for the Argentinian and urge to step it up and stake a claim in Pellegrini’s first XI. An attacking trio of Fornals, Lanzini and Andersen is sure to whet the appetites of the Westh Ham faithful. A clear signal of intent from Pellegrini.
However, Cartlidge has identified a weakness in the Spanish playmaker’s game, something that will be alerted to Pellegrini providing the signing is completed:
A problem commonly brought to the surface when a up and coming talent switches from La Liga to the Premier League. Certainly, the physical aspect and the intensity is vastly increased in England. However, much will be made of how Pellegrini can complement the abilities of Fornals in his line-up. With capable and defensive options such as Mark Noble and Declan Rice behind him, Fornals has more than enough cover to fully exert himself wholly in the attacking department. Though, he is more than capable to help out in the defensive departments when needed. Furthermore, a trio of Felipe Anderson, Manuel Lanzini and Pablo Fornals leaves room for plenty of fluidity, creativity and a knack of picking up pockets of space in between the lines that will leave defenders in a state of whirlwind. Frightening.
The signing of Fornals represents such a huge shift in strategy for West Ham and manager Manuel Pellegrini and does also mark the kind of progress that the Chilean is progressively building at the London Stadium. The questions now remain for Pellegrini on how he can build a side capable of challenging for those positions just out the Champions League places. Can he keep his main stars? Arnautovic? Felipe Andersen? Declan Rice? These are three of their top stars in the camp that will surely want certain promises to be fulfilled in order for their services to be retained. And if West Ham are to properly challenge the top 6 they do need a striker capable of scoring 15 -20 goals a season, not 10. Regardless of whether Arnautovic stays or not, Pellegrini will have to get the balance right in terms of his front-men. For so long, West Ham have tried and tested combinations without truly finding a capable goalscorer to complete the package.
Nonetheless, the addition of Fornals is a massive representation of the positive shift in ambition and intent within the West Ham hierarchy. A player that is sure to light up the Premier League next season. Watch this space.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K8xGZ8oLSM
anthonyscouts.co.uk 