It seems this week the Lucas Paquetá verdict will be published after the widespread leaking at the weekend. What was not so widely recognised or reported was that West Ham themselves had been treading water on their midfield recruitment until the outcome was known. Hence reports of players being ‘scouted’, ‘watched’, ‘linked’, call it what you will – have become almost endless but without momentum.
Romano Schmid, Amine Adli and Nelson Deossa appear the latest in a never ending stream of attacking midfielders touted as possible ‘Paquetá replacements.
Surely now that West Ham’s number 10 has the verdict of the FA enquiry, as do the club (it is only the publication that has been delayed) the hand brake will finally come off the Hammers’ summer recruitment.
And the direction the club head in will tell us everything we need to know about Potter’s future plans for the Brazilian.
If West Ham proceed with a Paquetá style replacement, be it any one of aforementioned attacking midfielders, then the Brazilian is likely heading out of the London Stadium pretty sharpish.
However if as widely trailed, Potter completes a goal keeper signing next, then it is likely that West Ham fans will have another 12 months of the Brazilian – at least – to enjoy. The prospect of a revitalised Paq-man restored to his tricky, flicky, beguiling self, producing his best for the club would be a mouthwatering prospect after a dismal season living under the cloud of the FA inquiry.
That may well be the best value option in any case, as his price will only be headed upwards: perhaps Hammers fans will get the chance to see the best of the midfielder for ‘one more year’.
Release of the verdict on Lucas Paqueta is dependent on all parties accepting that the correct procedure has been followed and no claims for damages will be brought or entertained.
FA need to come out of this unscathed and with the untarnished reputation of the the fine example of the world class institution they believe themselves to be.
Lucas will not be totally exonerated but will be allowed to continue his career under caution of drastic repercussions should there ever be accusations of a similar nature in the future.
Lucas must stick to his guns and not accept such a botched job. Trouble with that is that the FA have time on their side and will drag out the inquiry for a few more years.
What a world we live in.
COYI
Even with Paqueta, we still need more energy and pace in midfield. You can only blood the kids gradually or destroy their confidence, and no one knows if any of them are going to make the grade at Premier League Level ! our history suggests most don’t…..
Not looking good and a long hard season ( again !) looks on the cards.
Thanks, Sullivan, for steering this club into the abyss.
That’s all very well Martin but unless we get a more athletic midfielder in then we are going to need to be outscored our opponents which will be a difficult challenge with what we have up front currently, and no Wilson is definitely not the answer. We need to keep Pac this season as trying to replace him with the work we still have to do on new incomings is too much.
Sully will flog him
.he camt.help himself
It’s the barrow boy within him
Unless a significant bid was to come in then keeping him makes sense and with two years and an option to extend i believe it will make even more sense to do so…..If he plays to the level we all know he can then next summer could well see him get the move he wants but letting him go on the cheap well it does not benefit the club and the club.
I genuinely hope we keep him. Easily our best midfielder. But we still have to replace the slow, plodders (Rodriguez, Soucek and Ward-Prowse) and get some pace and energy around him