West Ham’s summer could have been far more bruising than it turned out. Bad enough selling [Mohammed Kudus](https://www.claretandhugh.info/new-report-critical-of-kudus-sale-ignores-crucial-issues-west-ham-news/) to arch rivals Tottenham: Reports now abound concerning Hammers’ star man Lucas Paquetá’s possible summer exit falling through – Thomas Frank apparently having ambition to attract the Brazilian after his arrival at Spurs.
Can’t help thinking there would have been uproar at West Ham if a second of the club’s “Crown Jewels” had trodden the same path as Kudus.
But this morning, no lesser source than Fabrizio Romano is quoted as claiming that Lucas Paquetá would have left West Ham late in the window were it not for one thing: [Londonworld.com’s](https://www.londonworld.com/sport/football/west-ham/fabrizio-romano-west-ham-transfer-5314164) article quotes the _In The Know_ journalist as saying:
_“I can guarantee to you that **if there wasn’t social media**, Lucas Paqueta was an Aston Villa player now. Now, he’s at West Ham because the deal collapsed, because of the leaks, too early or maybe at a crucial stage of the negotiation and making people upset at West Ham. This can happen.”_
Quite who were the ‘people’ that were upset at West Ham is not clear – but the inference in their article is that a deal was, certainly advancing for a loan with obligation which would have taken the Brazilian away from West Ham for good:
“_The proposed move came about in the final days of the window, with Villa proposing a loan move with an obligation to buy, a format that is becoming more and more common due to spending rules. That deal was said to be worth £50million with Everton and Tottenham also reportedly showing interest.”_
So whilst Paq-man’s much publicised ‘one more year’ social media post last night has been met with dismay from many Hammers fans who don’t want to lose the Brazilian next summer, it could clearly have been a lot worse.
For whatever reason, West Ham fans now have a chance to see Paquetá strutting in all his pomp for one more season – at least – whilst his standing and presumably his transfer value rises at the same time.