West Ham United have agreed the transfer of Portuguese striker Pablo from Gil Vicente to the London Stadium. Florian Plettenberg.
The Hammers have been linked with several options in recent weeks, with Football Talk citing reputable sources reporting the club’s interest in Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Jorgen Strand Larson, as well as Cruzeiro’s Kaio Jorge, with the latest option now being Pablo.
After spending the previous season on loan with Gil Vicente, the 21-year-old found the net five times before the club decided to secure his services on a permanent basis. That decision has paid off as he has shown excellent form this season, with ten goals and one assist in thirteen appearances in the Primeira Liga.
His prolific goalscoring form has played a major role in the Gilistas’ rise to fame. After finishing in 13th place last season, César Peixoto’s side now sit in fourth place, behind only Porto, Sporting and Benfica.
Now, according to PlettenbergWest Ham have agreed a move for Pablo to the London Stadium, worth up to £20 million.
The journalist adds that the Portuguese-born Brazilian striker will arrive in London on Thursday to complete his medical formalities before putting pen to paper on a long-term contract.
According to the report, the Hammers will now hope to complete the deal in time for the crucial Premier League match against Wolves at the Molineux on Saturday afternoon.
Pablo to West Ham
To avoid relegation, West Ham will likely need to win at least seven to nine games, with that target seen as the minimum needed to stay in the Premier League.
Currently, London side town Nottingham Forest sit in 17th place, four points ahead and are under increasing pressure to strengthen their squad. Only 14 points have been collected from the first 19 games, which is the worst result at this stage of the season since the 2010/11 season, which saw relegation under Avram Grant.
The Hammers’ only natural centre-forward at the moment is Callum Wilson, who has scored four goals in the Premier League, while Niclas Füllkrug is reportedly closing in on a move to AC Milan.
As a result, Nuno Espírito Santo recently turned to Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville as centre-forwards in recent matches.
With Nuno known for getting the best out of his centre-forward position, West Ham fans will hope that Pablo’s prolific goalscoring form will be replicated in the Premier League to help their relegation battle.
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