OPINION
Look, Pablo Fornals is an excellent player. West Ham United potentially signing him, as a player on his own merits, would be a terrific deal.
However, in the context of the current Hammers squad, you have to question whether the Spanish international is worth the risk for director of football Mario Husillos?
Football Insider reported on Wednesday that the east London club are prepared to pay as much as £30million for the 23-year-old, having already submitted an offer of over £20million.
They have stepped up their approach to the player’s club Villarreal in the past 48 hours, as they attempt to close a big money move for one of La Liga’s finest playmakers.
That’s all well and good and, as mentioned, if it was just about the ability of Fornals himself then this would be a fantastic signing for West Ham.
However, you do wonder if the Hammers really need him? Surely there are bigger holes that need to be filled in Manuel Pellegrini’s squad. Left back, centre half, central midfield and up front all jump out as bigger needs than attacking midfield.
Pellegrini has Felipe Anderson, Manuel Lanzini, Michail Antonio, Robert Snodgrass, Andriy Yarmolenko and a host of talented youngsters who can play in the attacking midfield positions. Fornals may be better than any of them, of course, but why blow the majority of your transfer budget on a player you don’t need?
Surely it would be better to source a quality central midfielder to partner Declan Rice or a top class striker to provide Marko Arnautovic with some competition.
Still, it seems that the Hammers have decided and Fornals and there’ll be no changing their minds. You’ve got to say, though, that Husillos would be taking a big risk splashing this sort of cash on a luxury player when he has so many other positions to sort out.
