West Ham’s summer of departures has been brutal.
Mohammed Kudus — arguably the club’s most game-changing player — was the headline exit, taking his ability to flip a match on its head with him to Tottenham Hotspur.
Add to that the loss of long-serving full-backs Aaron Cresswell and Vladimír Coufal, plus the release of club-record Premier League scorer Michail Antonio, and it’s no wonder the Hammers look so short of quality.
The damage is already showing. Three games, three defeats, 11 goals conceded and just three scored. Things are bleak — and they could be about to get even worse.
Aston Villa Want Paquetá
West Ham United's Niclas Fullkrug and Lucas Paqueta. (REUTERS/Dylan Martinez)
West Ham United’s Niclas Fullkrug and Lucas Paqueta. (REUTERS/Dylan Martinez)
According to a new report from TalkSPORT, Aston Villa are preparing to test West Ham’s resolve for Lucas Paquetá.
The Hammers don’t want to sell, but it’s claimed offers of £60 million or more would at least be considered.
Paquetá — who has also been linked with Manchester City and Tottenham — has been West Ham’s only real spark so far this season, playing every minute and scoring twice in three games.
Losing him would be nothing short of disastrous for Graham Potter, who’s already clinging on after a dreadful start.
Villa, meanwhile, are desperate for more creativity. Unai Emery’s men have failed to score in either of their first two Premier League fixtures, picking up just a single point. Paquetá — described as a “maverick” by former West Ham boss David Moyes — could be exactly the injection of flair they’re missing.
But for West Ham? Losing their biggest star, with the window about to slam shut and little chance of reinvesting the £60 million, would feel like the final nail in the coffin before September has even arrived.