You’d have to be a super optimist or have your head buried, ostrich – like, in the sand to expect Lucas Paqueta’s stay at West Ham to continue after the summer. The club are clearly set against letting the Brazilian leave mid-season as the Hammers fight to retain their Premier League status.
If he performs for the rest of the season as well as in defeat of Newcastle united, then the club’s safety will be assured and their ‘Magnifico’ will no doubt be the subject of bids too high for David Sullivan to ignore.
‘Sources’ claim that Paqueta is now set on a summer exit.
According to ESPN amongst others who report:
“Lucas Paquetá is likely to stay at West Ham in January but is keen to leave after next summer’s World Cup, sources have told ESPN. West Ham would look to command a fee of around €60 million ($70m) for the Brazil International.”
Fernandes is starting to look the real deal at West Ham and would be more than capable of stepping in to the number 10- role.
So Nuno’s long term planning has to be to find a new number 10 – ‘his talisman’- and it would seem Mateus Fernandes is already proving himself more than capable of stepping up to full the Brazilian’s shoes.
Even back in August before Fernandes had signed for West Ham, he’d been identified as the ideal Paq-man successor at the head of West Ham’s attacking midfield.
Footballinsider247.com in August:
“the 21-year-old — capped extensively by Portugal across various youth levels — could be an excellent replacement for Paqueta should he leave the London Stadium”
And that was before Nuno and the West Ham supporter contingent had seen Fernandes’ performing in a West Ham shirt. His first chance to play in the more advanced role will be upon the resumption of Premier League hostilities, since Paquetá is suspended for the Bournemouth trip.
Providing Freddie Potts is fit to resume his defensive midfield duties, Fernandes may well get the chance to play in the advanced ’10’ role he so clearly relishes and his first chance to audition for the ‘full time’ role – starting next weekend.
If all goes well for the youngsters in midfield, come Summer we’d have Fernandes, Earthy, Potts, Magassa and Kante, with Soucek, Irving (perhaps) as 1st subs. So come the Summer with Paqueta off you’d think might need some midfield reinforcement, especially as I think personally, must look out for injuries to youngsters who should not be overplayed. Maybe Fearon in the squad gaining experience?
It is looking good, given how well these players have performed to date, at all levels, but a good 25 yo midfielder would help because might be a lot to expect of them to carry the team 2025/26.
As the article says though, Fernandes does look like a possible replacement for Paqueta, giving Earthy (another playmaker) time to develop further, with Fearon next in line. I’m hoping Potts will add to his abilities (actually I’m sure he will) and influence games more, going forward.
Surely we will have Kante to step up by the time summer comes, so why look for someone else
Let’s sort out the defence that is my biggest worry
And a good prolific young striker, yet again we do have some youngsters not been given the chance yet