West Ham are on the verge of signing Pablo Fornals after agreeing terms with Villareal, according to Football Insider.
The reputable football outlet claim that the deal will add up to £40million, with the Spanish international ready to join after extensive talks with Mario Husillos.
Football Insider report that although the Hammers will pay a transfer fee of £24million, his wages of £60,000-per-week will take the deal up to £40million.
Any fees will be paid in installments across many years, and the 23-year-old is expected to be confirmed as the club’s third summer signing before the end of the week, with deals for David Martin and Roberto already confirmed.
The 5’8″ winger [Source: Transfermarkt] impressed officials at the London Stadium, especially after playing a key role in Villareal’s run to the Europa League quarter-finals, and will become the second most expensive signing in the club’s history.
OPINION
This is definitely a great early move by Manuel Pellegrini as he looks to improve his West Ham side before the start of pre-season. At only 23-years-old, Fornals has great experience in Spain, having made 50 appearances this season for Villareal. The exciting winger also has two international caps for his country and has great potential to become even better in the Premier League. Hammers’ fans will no doubt be thrilled with this announcement as it highlights their club’s ambition for the next few years. David Gold and David Sullivan are also putting their faith in Fornals by making him the club’s second most expensive player in their history, and if Fornals can cope with that pressure, he will become a fan favourite quickly. The exciting youngster will need to improve his records in terms of goals and assists after only being involved in five goals in La Liga last season, but will certainly be given time to settle in at the London Stadium. The early signs look good for West Ham, and if they can continue in this manner in their transfer dealings, they will certainly be pushing for European football next year.
