Pablo Fornals may have final chance to save West Ham United career v Brighton after latest injury blow
Lucas Paqueta’s West Ham United injury blow could well provide a final chance for Pablo Fornals to save his Hammers career against Brighton on Tuesday 2 January.
The Brazilian ace sent a message on his Instagram account (29 December) seemingly ruling himself out of the Premier League encounter at the London Stadium after suffering a knee injury in the 2-0 win over Arsenal on Thursday (28 December).
The West Ham ever-present was withdrawn after 33 minutes following a knock to his knee as David Moyes’ men stunned Arsenal at the Emirates on Thursday (28 December) to record their first win in North London in eight years.
With Paqueta now possibly absent for the clash against the Seagulls, Moyes may be forced to turn to Pablo Fornals with plenty of noise emerging regarding his immediate future at the London Stadium.
UK news outlet Evening Standard (6 December) shared that the East Londoners are prepared to listen to offers for the Spaniard despite extending his contract for another year.
The Athletic reported on 5 December that the Irons have opted to activate the one-year extension clause in his contract, which was originally set to run out at the end of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign.
However, the new extension does not necessarily mean he will be prolonging his stay in East London beyond January, with Evening Standard reporting that the decision was taken in order for them to recoup a transfer fee when he eventually leaves.
Spanish news outlet Estadio Deportivo reported on 28 December that Sevilla and West Ham United have agreed to continue negotiations over a potential deal for Fornals to quit this month.
Fornals is one of several fringe stars who could well depart the club this summer for Moyes to possibly reinvest in his current squad with Said Benrahma, Danny Ings and Maxwel Cornet all also in with a chance of leaving.
However, if there is one player Moyes would want to remain with until the summer at least, it is Fornals who has arguably proven over the past year that he is the second-most influential attacking midfielder after Paqueta, recording seven goals and two assists during the 2022/23 campaign [Transfermarkt].
A lack of game time and some disappointing displays in East London make an exit look more and more inevitable each week, and it now feels like a matter of if rather than when Fornals will depart the London Stadium.
However, the Spaniard possesses qualities that are useful for West Ham United and with Paqueta potentially absent for Tuesday’s game against the Seagulls, it could well be his final chance to prove to Moyes that he’s worth keeping beyond this month.
In other West Ham news, a Premier League manager has made a decision on a player the Hammers want to sign.