West Ham United may have had a fortunate escape when Ajax hijacked their £14 million deal to buy Carlos Forbs from Premier League winners Manchester City last summer.
When it was revealed last summer that the Manchester City academy graduate would be playing in the Johan Cryuff Arena rather than the London Stadium, a West Ham supporter already irritated by the club’s lack of new arrivals looked to boil over.
Six months later, however, Ajax may be gazing at West Ham with jealousy, not the other way around. While Mohamed Kudus and Edson Alvarez have been two of David Moyes’ standout performers this season, joining from Eredivisie giants in the final few weeks of the transfer window, Carlos Forbs has done little to demonstrate that he was ready to make the step up from under-21 football to the rigours of the senior game.
West Ham missed out on Carlos Forbs to Ajax
“Forbs doesn’t understand it at all,” veteran Eredivisie defender Kees Kwakman tells ESPN about a 19-year-old who still seems like a youngster in the men’s league.
“He doesn’t comprehend that once the ball is passed, he must play like a midfielder. Individually, these men have no clue, and the technical staff is also unable to do the task.”
“(Forbs) lacks quality. “He is far too expensive for a young player.”
Given his age, Forbs may have been considered ‘one for the future’ at Ajax. However, even Dutch football’s largest club seldom pays a cost in excess of £10 million, and it’s fair to say that Forbs was expected to do much more than this, even if this is his first season of professional game.
In his last 20 games, the forward has only scored one goal.
Premier League return on the cards
HITC Football believes that Ajax is already accepting bids for the Portugal Under 21 international. Burnley and Nottingham Forest discussed a transfer in January, and Forbs may possibly be handed a fresh start by Brighton & Hove Albion or Everton.
HITC has been informed that West Ham are also keeping an eye on Forbs’ position, but the Hammers may be excused for being turned off by a dismal run in Dutch football.
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