Real Betis have completed the signing of Spanish midfielder Pablo Fornals from West Ham United.
The 27-year-old's proposed transfer to the La Liga clubs appeared to be on the brink of collapse as a "computer problem" at West Ham's end prevented the move from being completed before the winter window slammed shut at 11pm on Thursday.
Betis CEO Ramon Alarcon initially stated that the club hope to get the deal "resolved in the next few days", with recent reports claiming that FIFA have launched an investigation to determine why West Ham were unable to sanction Fornals's exit.
However, the formalities of the deal have now be ironed out and Betis have unveiled their new signing 17 hours after the deadline.
Fornals has put pen to paper on a five-and-a-half-year contract with Betis that runs until the summer of 2029, with the La Liga side understood to have paid West Ham around £7m to lure the Spaniard back to his homeland.
A message from Pablo to you ⚒️❤️ pic.twitter.com/yF1v3YIBRP
— West Ham United (@WestHam) February 2, 2024
Fornals has bid farewell to West Ham after four-and-a-half years at the club, where he made 203 appearances in all competitions, scoring 23 goals and registering 19 assists.
"Hello everyone. So, West Ham fans, I am here one more time at London Stadium and hopefully not the last one," Fornals told whufc.com.
"I just want to thank you for these four seasons and a half and for the support and the good memories.
"I arrived as a kid and became a man here and it was such a great pleasure for me to fight from relegation in my first season to become sixth in the league, to play a semi-final of European football with you the next season and to win a trophy.
"I have such big memories. You're always going to be in my heart. This stadium, this team and this crowd will be with me always.
"I think you are waiting for this...West Ham are massive, everywhere we go!"
📣 OFFICIAL | #RealBetis and @WestHam reach an agreement for the transfer of Pablo Fornals 🤝🖊
— Real Betis Balompié (@RealBetis_en) February 2, 2024
Welcome, @PabloFornals! 🆕✅
➡️https://t.co/qZWg0gG9vH.. pic.twitter.com/U4pDxqI853
Fornals etched his name into West Ham folklore when he scored a decisive stoppage-time winner at AZ Alkmaar that sent the Hammers into the Europa Conference League final last season.
The versatile midfielder went on to play in the final against Fiorentina, which West Ham won 2-1 to lift their first European trophy for 58 years.
Fornals made 50 appearances for the Hammers last season, but he fell down the pecking order under manager David Moyes this term and was reduced to just 11 starts and 12 substitute outings in all tournaments.
The former Villarreal man returns to Spain to reunite with manager Manuel Pellegrini, who signed the midfielder for West Ham back in the summer of 2019.
It remains to be seen whether Fornals will be in a position to make his Betis debut on Sunday at home against Getafe in La Liga.
Oliver Thomas
