Pablo Fornals has been tipped to make a positive impact at Real Betis after enjoying an ‘excellent’ start to life back in Spain following his deadline day departure from Premier League outfit West Ham United.
Only two weeks after the window closed, the logic of West Ham’s deadline day business is already coming into question. OK, Pablo Fornals and Said Benrahma – the duo sealing moves to Real Betis and Lyon despite a late hitch – appeared to make sense from one perspective, given that neither player was a regular starter under David Moyes any longer.
But with Lucas Paqueta picking up an injury, the lack of depth in the forward areas at the London Stadium has been rather brutally exposed since those departures.
It was telling that Moyes felt compelled to utilise full-back Ben Johnson further forward on wing against both Manchester United and Arsenal, The Hammers losing both games by an aggregate score of 9-0.
Pablo Fornals shows West Ham what they are missing
The ‘excellent start’ Pablo Fornals has made to life back in La Liga adds salt to those West Ham wounds, the man perhaps best suited to stepping in for Paqueta marking his maiden Real Betis start with a sumptuous curling finish in Friday’s 2-0 win at struggling Cadiz.
“Fornals got a lovely goal right at the start of the second-half,” Spanish football expert Terry Gibson tells El Tel and Jon’s La Liga Weekly podcast.
“An excellent start for him. He’s going to make them better.”
Betis had won only two of seven league matches before Fornals made his full debut for Los Verdiblancos. The six-time Spain international joined former West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini for a fee in the region of £7 million, Moyes making a big loss on a player who set the Europa Conference League champions back a cool £24 million when joining from Malaga back in 2019.
One start, one goal
“My first start. (I am) very grateful for the opportunity, to my team-mates and to everyone for the goal,” smiles Fornals, who’s superb solo effort away to AZ Alkmaar secured West Ham’s place in the Conference League final last season.
“When you look to come to a team like Betis, you are afraid of how to fit in because it is full of great players. But it is easier for them to make you shine. I am very grateful for the week I spent working with them and (I hope) to continue working to give joy.”
West Ham did hope to bring in Ibrahim Osman from Nordsjaelland as a potential Fornals replacement. He has since joined Brighton and Hove Albion for a cool £16 million, however.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
