Sometimes in life you just have to cut your losses, and that increasingly feels like the case for West Ham United and Lucas Paquetá.
The latest twist in a story that has moved quickly all day is that West Ham bosses have rejected a €35m offer from Flamengo for Paquetá. The decision appears to be driven by manager Nuno Espírito Santo, who is insisting the Brazilian playmaker remains at the London Stadium for the remainder of the season.
Nuno’s stance is understandable. He clearly believes Paquetá is his best player. But, much like Julen Lopetegui and Graham Potter before him, he has failed to get the best out of the 28-year-old. The harsh truth is that, despite all his talent, the Brazil international has not performed anywhere near the level required to drag West Ham out of the relegation mire.
Nuno will not let Paqueta leave West Ham without a fight
Hope Over Reality at the London Stadium
There have been no match-winning flashes of genius you might expect from a player of such ability. Put bluntly, Paquetá does not deserve the indulgence once afforded to the likes of Dimitri Payet or Paolo Di Canio, because he has ceased to be a match winner.
Whatever Nuno believes his playmaker can still offer feels more like hope than reality. At this stage of the season, West Ham need players who actually want to play for the club.
It is time to let this one go. Accept €35–40m, start the rebuild now, and use it as a springboard into next season. Espírito Santo has put his faith in Paquetá, but that faith has not been reciprocated. Give Mateus Fernandes the playmaker role and go and find a new number ten who genuinely wants to be here. The team may well be better for it.
Deny his request for a move. Explain to him that we need all our players pulling in the same direction. Agree to a move at the end of the season, as long as the price is reasonable. He’ll want to be in the Brazilian squad for the World Cup, which means he’ll need to play and need to perform. For once, we have all the good cards.
Paqueta is West Ham’s best player in a technical sense, but plenty, including some football Managers, often forget that football is about scoring more goals than the other team .. Most would agree that Paqueta has as many assists for the opposition as he does for us in recent times .. That’s not helping us, so take the money and buy a player or two that WILL help .. James Collins and Craig Dawson cost peanuts .. Both those could head a ball and had that “You score over my dead body” attitude that we need right now .. Players like that ARE out there, if you look hard enough .. I’d be thinking that this year’s Hartson and Kitson would be a Collins and Dawson, wouldn’t it?!? ..
LUCAS THEQUITTA
His every touch would be accompanied by boos if he stays, time to get as much as we can for him and say goodbye
Now we know the inbalance in the team , it’s the bit between paquetas ears
Agree entirely Gonzo. I think Nuno is kidding himself if thinks he can change Paquetas mind. Hopefully gone by the weekend and if not I still don’t see him being available for the Spurs game.
Also for all this talk of going back to Brazil, I still find it ironic that he didn’t want to play in the FA Cup for us. Probably edging his bets ( pardon the pun) in case an attractive Prem team makes an offer.
I get it, he thinks Paqueta will be useful but his head is already turned. Best thing Nuno & West Ham can do is move on.
If we get a creative player who wants to fight why not
Soooo true!