West Ham United demand £17million for Pablo Fornals transfer as long-term stay may be on the cards
Pablo Fornals is “highly valued” by Sevilla but the Spanish side are finding it “difficult” to sign him because of the fee West Ham want, according to Mucho Deporte.
The Spanish outlet reported on their website Tuesday (22 August) that the Hammers are asking for as much as €20million [£17m] to sell the 27-year-old despite him having less than a year left on his contract, because they know a replacement will cost as much as €30m [£25.5m].
It is therefore suggested that because the Irons have “no need to sell” they could now be set to keep the Spaniard long-term as they look to extend his contract at some point over the season.
Fornals is thought to want a return to La Liga, where he previously played for Villarreal and Malaga, but the asking price is far higher than previously thought and could have created a significant hurdle.
Gamble
If West Ham have long-term plans for Fornals to remain at the club and extend his contract then standing firm unless a hefty fee changes their mind is probably the right option.
But if they expect him to go next summer because he has his eye on a move it might be the last chance for them to get anything of note for him.
Either way it is not only going to be expensive to secure a replacement, but with so little time in the window left and various other boxes to tick along the way there is every chance they don’t manage to land one at all.
Since David Moyes started Fornals in the opening day draw at Bournemouth and then brought him off the bench on Sunday in the win over Chelsea he clearly still has a use for the attacking midfielder.
So if any financial benefit to letting him go was minimal then it may be worth it at this stage to just play him and either reassess the situation in January or offer him an extension.
Lucas Paqueta looks to be staying now but any negative developments regarding his FA investigation could make Fornals’ position all the more important, especially with Manuel Lanzini already gone and no attacking arrivals so far.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers plan has emerged after they were offered a £27m striker by a super-rich club and held talks over a move.