According to Mundo Deportivo, Pablo Fornals has already reached an agreement on a “extensive contract” with Real Betis in an attempt to finalize his departure from West Ham before the deadline next week.
The Spanish publication revealed on its website on Saturday, January 27, that negotiations between West Ham and Betis are still in progress in advance of the deadline for Spanish teams, which is January 31.
According to the source, Betis anticipates that the agreement will be completed within the next few days, and that the most likely outcome will be an initial loan changeover with a forced buy option.
Major hit
Most West Ham supporters agree that this is the best course of action for all parties. At the end of the season, if the team is able to get a fee for Fornals, that money can be used to sign an upgrade.
The emphasis is now on selling a player or players if another is to be bought before the deadline, following the addition of Kalvin Phillips from Manchester City earlier this week.
Since joining West Ham, Fornals has been a respectable employee, but his four Premier League starts this year indicate where he sits in the hierarchy.
The Irons will suffer a significant loss in one way or another after having to pay Villarreal £24 million to acquire Fornals [Sky Sports, June 14].
With the playmaker’s contract just extended by a full year, at least there’s a chance to get some of that money back from Real Betis.
The player has made his decision to leave, so it is up to Betis and United to agree on a final-season fee.
This relocation appears almost certain to go through, even with the days running out in the window.
