Pablo Fornals has just posted something on social media that’s brought a huge smile to the faces of West Ham fans as the Spanish Cockney continues to be sorely missed.
There is no lack of irony about the way West Ham have conducted transfers and assembled their current squad when you look at the Pablo Fornals situation.
The Hammers sold Fornals for a paltry £8m – albeit as he neared the end of his contract – in January last year.
Yet West Ham have spent most of the last 18 months desperately trying to find technically good midfielders who can play on the half turn and offer something different.
Fornals still sorely missed at West Ham
Graham Potter is looking to sign players who fit that description for his midfield this summer.
His predecessor Julen Lopetegui wanted a player like Fornals so badly he went out and brought in his fellow Spaniard Carlos Soler on loan.
It is difficult to shake the feeling that Fornals could, and probably would, have emerged as a key player for West Ham under Lopetegui and Potter had he remained.
The 29-year-old is still sorely missed at the London Stadium – both on and off the pitch.
So much so some West Ham fans often travel in groups to go and watch the Spanish Cockney in action for Real Betis.
Potter is prioritising fixing West Ham’s ageing, immobile midfield – which is sorely lacking in any guile.
But the Hammers boss has also stressed how important it is to sign players with the right attitude and character who want to play for West Ham and will embrace the pressure and expectation that comes with it.
West Ham fans will absolutely love what Fornals has posted
All the more frustrating then that the Hammers allowed someone like Fornals – who is all of that and more – walk out of the door.
While West Ham fans were forced to endure their geriatric midfield last season, Fornals was scoring worldies for Real Betis, helping them into Europe again and to qualify for the Conference League final against Chelsea.
Hammers supporters adore the former Villarreal star and always will.
Now West Ham fans will absolutely love what Fornals has posted on social media.
The much-loved midfielder’s picture has struck a chord with supporters and served as another reminder of why he remains such a cult hero in east London.
With the caption ‘explodes my heart’, Fornals has posted a picture of his two children side by side on his Instagram Stories.
And his eldest is decked out in a white West Ham away kit.
Despite being the son of a Spaniard who plays for a Spanish side in Real Betis, Fornals’ boy is a proud Hammer.
Everyone knows just how much Fornals embraced life at West Ham.
No lack of irony as Hammers search for midfielders like Fornals
He even upstaged Declan Rice with his emotional farewell video while the former skipper simply posted a message on social media.
Once a Hammer, always a Hammer as they say.
And Fornals is passing that on to the next generation too.
It’s a joy to see it.
We’ll always have Fornals singing ‘West Ham are massive’ during an interview after one of the club’s famous European wins.
And of course we’ll always have that night in Holland, where Fornals nutmegged the AZ Alkmaar defender and ran 30 yards to put West Ham in the Europa Conference League final they went on to win against Fiorentina.
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
