West Ham need to tread very carefully indeed if reports of Lucas Paquetá’s potential departure prove to be true.
In what could be one of the most challenging seasons to remain in the Premier League, now would be a terrible time to sell one of our best players.
The Hammers are already in a precarious position in midfield, with Paquetá the only proven, top-quality operator in the middle of the pitch. Instead of selling him, West Ham should be adding at least one—ideally two—new midfielders to strengthen the side.
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I firmly believe the Brazilian is not pushing for a move, and I also believe the club is not actively looking to sell. That’s why it’s vital that any approaches are firmly rejected.
It’s not that I’ve always been against selling our record signing. Earlier in the summer, I had accepted that he might leave if he was cleared of the FA betting charges. At that point, a huge bid from Saudi Arabia could have been reinvested wisely in the squad. But that moment has passed.
Potter rates Paqueta highly
Since his relief at being cleared, Paquetá has expressed his love for the Hammers fans and his willingness to spend another season at the London Stadium. That’s changed my view entirely.
Right now, the Hammers are on the cusp of the new season still short in two key areas we were promised would be addressed—central midfield and striker. Selling Paquetá would make matters worse, with no guarantee we could find a suitable replacement.
At present, only three players demand inclusion in Graham Potter’s first XI: Jarrod Bowen, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Paquetá himself.
If the West Ham board choose to weaken that core rather than build on it, we could be heading for a season of real trouble.