Until earlier this month, West Ham United will have harboured few regrets about missing out on a Portugal international who terrorised Barcelona in the Champions League a few weeks ago.
Even in the fickle world of football, few players have enjoyed a change in fortunes quite as dramatic as this.
And a penny for the supporters of Wolverhampton Wanderers.
West Ham United know all too well how it feels to seemingly have the universe turn against you. The mere strands of existence twisting themselves in knots trying to humiliate you at every turn.
For Wolves, rock bottom and nine points adrift of former boss Nuno Espirito Santo after West Ham earned a 2-2 draw at Bournemouth last time out, Carlos Forbs’ unexpected explosion in the blue and black of Club Brugge is typical, really.
Whatever can go wrong, is going wrong at Molineux these days.
West Ham appeared to get a lucky escape back in 2023. A rising star in Manchester City’s academy at the time, Carlos Forbs chose Ajax over a fresh start in East London.
If that now feels like an opportunity missed for those of a claret and blue persuasion, then Wolves have to contend with the thought that the Belgium-based bully of the Blaugrana was actually theirs until a few months ago.
Carlos Forbs explains why he rejected West Ham United for Ajax
Forbs started only one Premier League match and played just 239 minutes during the most forgettable of Molineux loan spells last season.
In the defence of a now-sacked Vitor Pereira, he is not the only manager who appeared to harbour reservations.
West Ham insider Sean Whetstone claimed, shortly after Forbs completed his £17 million move to the Eredivisie, that David Moyes was never convinced about the idea of bringing the teenage forward to the capital in the first place.
Who is West Ham’s greatest ever ‘one that got away’?
West Ham and Wolves’ loss is now proving to be Club Brugge’s gain.
“In the summer [of 2023], I could choose between Ajax or West Ham,” Forbs now tells Het Nieuwsblad. “Ajax is the biggest club in the Netherlands, with quite a bit of history and trophies.
“So, that was a logical decision.”
“To be honest, I enjoyed being at Ajax. I’m still in touch with [former teammates] Kian Fitz-Jim and Mika Godts, and I wish Ajax all the best.”
Forbs struggled in a period of transition for the Dutch giants, quickly falling out of favour. In hindsight, he admits that this may have been the right club at the wrong time.
“In retrospect, it wasn’t the right time to sign there,” Forbs adds. “My first season was full of ups and downs. I started well, scored a few goals, and made my Europa League debut. Then, the manager [Maurice Steijn] was fired due to the poor results.”
Former Manchester City kid earns Portugal chance after Barcelona battering
He has certainly come back stronger.
Carlos Forbs ripped Barcelona to shreds in a thrilling 3-3 draw at the Jan Breydel Stadium earlier this month. Fortunately for Chelsea, 3-0 victors over the La Liga champions on Tuesday night, Hansi Flick still seems as blind as ever to the fact his trademark high-line is bordering on the suicidal.
Forbs’ pace terrorised Pau Cubarsi, Jules Kounde and co. For an attacker whose end product is often the subject of much debate, a Champions League brace against Barca is one way to silence the doubters.
His reward was a senior Portugal debut – and a maiden international assist – during the 9-1 obliteration of Armenia a fortnight ago.
As for West Ham, Carlos Forbs is shaping up to be a classic case of ‘one that got away’.
But, hey, at least they aren’t Wolves. One suspects many West Ham supporters will have been thinking that quite a lot recently.
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