The Athletic’s Roshane Thomas noted that “his form has tailed off and he has work to do to leave West Ham on a high,” alluding to Manchester City’s intense interest in the Brazilian. However, the 26-year-old’s performance has plummeted over the previous several weeks.
However, he hasn’t shown much lately, being among West Ham’s worst players at Stamford Bridge. Malik Ouzia of The Evening Standard gave him a 3/10 match rating, saying, “Looks to have phoned it in at this point.” The last part of the campaign has seen a sharp decline in form. played a fantastic pass that gave Emerson a chance.
| Lucas Paqueta: Stats vs Chelsea |
| Stat |
# |
| Minutes played |
76′ |
| Touches |
46 |
| Accurate passes |
24/34 (71%) |
| Possession lost |
15x |
| Shots on target |
0 |
| Shots off target |
1 |
| Key passes |
2 |
| Crosses |
0/2 |
| Duels won |
3/5 |
| Tackles |
0 |
| Interceptions |
0 |
| Yellow card |
1 |
| Stats via Sofascore |
His statistics from the Premier League contest aren’t awful, per se, but his usually high-energy defensive work was nonexistent and he failed to provide the isolated Michail Antonio with effective support – the centre-forward completed just three passes all afternoon.
It’s safe to say that his heart is not in it, and while Paqueta is one of the elite playmakers in the division, he must be sold this summer.
Why West Ham must cash in on Lucas Paqueta
Last year, Manchester City were on the verge of signing Paqueta for a staggering £80m fee but for an FA betting investigation into the Brazil international, still ongoing.
That inquiry notwithstanding, it looks likely that Pep Guardiola’s side will move for Paqueta to add some depth and competition for the ageing but awesome Kevin De Bruyne, who is nearly 33, should he be cleared from wrongdoing.
As per FBref, Paqueta ranks among the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted, the top 6% for progressive passes, the top 2% for tackles, the top 4% for aerial duels won per 90, top 20% for clearances, and top 18% for interceptions.
The versatile midfield player may seem unreplaceable, but Declan Rice was also, having signed a £105 million deal with Arsenal last summer to open the door for bids on players like Edson Alvarez and Mohammed Kudus, among others.
The cold, hard reality is that Paqueta has little interest in a long-term stay at the London Stadium. However, West Ham and Moyes’ inevitable successor will offer doors and dimensions for the club to flourish from by cashing in handsomely.
The groundwork for enduring promise has been laid, and Paqueta must leave.
