Football news - Pablo Fornals completes £24m move to West Ham from Villarreal

Fornals becomes the Hammers' first summer signing as Manuel Pellegrini looks to build on last season's 10th-placed finish in the Premier League.

The club have announced that the 23-year-old is their second most-expensive signing behind Felipe Anderson, who arrived from Lazio last summer for £36m.

Fornals will join up with the West Ham squad later this summer after he has represented his country at the UEFA European U21 Championship finals.

He told the club's official website: "I’m very happy to be part of West Ham. Ifeel very good, very happy and very grateful for the opportunity that has been provided to me.

"The fans fill the stadium every weekend and that is something admirable, especially with the passion with which football is lived there. I think it is important to play with the support of your fans at home. I have worked with Mario before – I know him from when I was in Malaga.

"With Manuel, only when I saw him and admired him on TV. Of course, Manuel was a big influence because in the end he is one of the best coaches in the world and who doesn’t want to work with people like that?!”

Fornals made 63 appearances across two seasons at Villarreal and will add to growing competition among West Ham's attacking midfielders, with Manuel Lanzini, Jack Wilshere, Andriy Yarmolenko, Michail Antonio, Robert Snodgrass and Felipe Anderson already at the club.