By Louis Nixon
**West Ham twitter was animated last night as Lucas Paqueta seemed to respond to a report by [The Times](https://www.thetimes.com/sport/football/article/lucas-paqueta-west-ham-leave-january-zzc2rbvmd) that suggested the Brazil International wants to leave in January.**
Since joining West Ham United back in 2022, Lucas Paqueta has been subjected to many rumours of a potential move away, the most recent one being reported yesterday, suggesting that a January transfer away from the club could happen due to the Hammers set to report a big yearly loss come the new year.
His rumour sparked numerous comments from many fans, yet these links seemingly were quashed when Paqueta himself posted a picture of himself and his two boys at the London Stadium with a smiley face. The photo was also posted conveniently just an hour after the initial rumour came out… how odd!
However, the flip side to this is, why do these rumours continue to come around? They ultimately provoke numerous comments from fans, which more often than not aren’t positive, which makes the whole rumour ugly, whether it’s true or not, and it becomes draining to hear repeatedly.
If Lucas did want to leave, it wouldn’t be a matter of everyone pleading him to stay, the Brazilian is a sellable asset in a squad with not much value, and if the Hammers had to have their pick of the cherry in the event of having to sell a player to raise funds, it most likely would be Paqueta.
A poorer past two campaigns in comparison to his first have led us here, he’s made many question whether he’s fit to start because of how his inconsistent and poor form could be costing us.
He had 3 goals in 10 appearances this season, and each game, it appears to be he’s not the best for our attacking options, yet is still one of the most crucial outlets for us to create any chances at all. To sell Paqueta in the current situation we are in would be a cataclysmic decision.
Whilst many may view him as someone to sell come the summer transfer window, to sell him in January would be digging ourselves a bigger hole and one that might cost us in the uphill relegation fight we’re in.