The excitement surrounding Pablo Fornals shortly after West Ham announced his signing was something that hadn’t been seen from supporters in some time.
The 23-year-old was different from your typical Hammers arrival. Here we had a player who looked hungry to make an impact in the Premier League after impressing for Villarreal in the previous season, and beating out the likes of Arsenal and Napoli for his signature made the signing of Fornals only that more impressive.
But where is that excitement now?
Nearly two months into life as a Premier League player and Fornals has seemingly become a shell of the playmaker he once was.
The Spaniard, who is valued on Transfermarkt at £22.5m, has struggled immensely to adjust to English football, and his misfortunes against Aston Villa on Monday night where the youngster squandered a chance late on in the match to win the game for the Hammers only made the supporters, who were once excited by his presence, now turn on him.
Indeed, it is still early days for Fornals. His goal against Newport County in the League Cup was a spark of what can come from the former Villarreal star, yet in the age of football where supporters demand 10/10 performances on a weekly basis and no time at all to adjust to a completely new league, country and culture, it seemingly makes sense why the youngster has struggled with West Ham.
Of course, not all hope is lost, and even more so, time can heal all wounds, and for Fornals, his time for the Hammers will come eventually.
Under a manager like Manuel Pellegrini, Fornals will have a calming presence guiding him on how to play the West Ham way as well as settle to life in the English capital.
It’s easy to forget what Fornals did during his time with Villarreal, but time is what the Spaniard needs more than anything, and for that, West Ham fans should be patient on their new summer signing to find his feet.
