Lucas Paqueta and Graham Potter looking downbeat
(Credit: Imago)
Josh Edwards
Sun 17 August 2025 9:51, UK
West Ham’s Premier League campaign got off to the worst possible start.
Graham Potter will already be feeling the pressure after West Ham’s 3-0 defeat to newly-promoted Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
To put it straight, the Hammers were dreadful, and it seems as though the concerns that emerged from the previous campaign will continue to linger over the London Stadium.
Most of those concerns are still over Potter, but a huge one has emerged in the form of Lucas Paqueta, and it is a miserable read.
West Ham boss Graham Potter
Potter got off to the worst start possible this season (Credit: Imago)
West Ham must sell Paqueta this summer
West Ham looked lost against Sunderland and just devoid of any real quality outside of Jarrod Bowen.
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Paqueta is supposedly a player with a huge ceiling and bags of ability, but the defeat to Sunderland marked the 64th Premier League game in a row since he last registered an assist.
Paqueta’s all-time West Ham record
121 appearances
18 goals
14 assists
For a player of his supposed quality, that is woeful, and is a large reason behind the regression of the Irons over the past few seasons.
His last recorded assist came in West Ham’s 3-0 victory Wolves back in December of 2023, and it surely leaves the Hammers with little option other than to cash in on him this summer.
The Irons cannot afford to hang their hopes on Bowen week in and week out, and the funds from the sale of Paqueta would go a long way towards rectifying that growing concern.
West Ham star Lucas Paqueta gestures during warm-up
Paqueta failed to impress at all against Sunderland (Credit: Imago)
Where could Paqueta go after West Ham exit?
Man City still hold some interest in signing Paqueta, though it remains to be seen whether that interest would materialise should he be available for transfer.
Rumours of a move to Newcastle were quickly shut down, though a move to Saudi Arabia could be on the cards.
Al-Ahli were linked with Paqueta earlier in the summer, with West Ham said to be open to his departure, and for good reason.
If Potter is to turn things around at the London Stadium, he needs everyone on the same page, and it’s obvious that the Brazilian is not.
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