Lucas Paqueta latest leaves Nuno Espirito Santo with easiest West Ham decision
West Ham and Nuno Espirito Santo would do themselves a favour in more ways than one by letting Lucas Paqueta leave in January.
There is expected interest in Paqueta ahead of the January transfer window, as the midfielder has been close to leaving E20 on several occasions already.
Paqueta has admitted he’s missed opportunities to leave West Ham in the past, and regrets are still clearly present through his lacklustre performances.
West Ham lost 3-2 to Aston Villa on Sunday, but it could have been prevented had the Brazilian not played so poorly.
Statistics on his individual display, which have emerged from the game, prove how costly he was to the Hammers’ chance of winning the match.
Lucas Paqueta misplaced more passes than anyone else vs Aston Villa
Paqueta has opened up about his mental struggles at West Ham, particularly in the case of the controversy surrounding his previous betting allegations.
The Brazilian’s recent red card against Liverpool only added to the drama, but his latest performance versus Villa does not allow for any excuses.
| Misplaced passes | Lost possession | Ground duels (won) |
| 9 | 16 | 5 (0) |
The Irons led twice against Villa, but Unai Emery’s side were given an advantage through Paqueta’s poor display in midfield and attack.
He rarely helped the Hammers going forward or defensively, and Nuno will surely be baffled at the interest in the number 10.
It’s just painfully obvious at this point that his exit is best for all parties, but not just because of the performances.
Paqueta sale gives West Ham crucial reinvestment money
West Ham need to stay in the Premier League beyond this season; that’s the goal. But Nuno is going to need help in the January window.
Many may see Paqueta’s potential West Ham departure as one of the worst things that could happen, but it’s actually one of the best outcomes when you break it down.
He has an undeniable quality, but in moments, and he is too much of a liability to depend on in a relegation scrap.
West Ham have the chance at raking in big money for Paqueta, which could be used to fund Nuno’s rebuild.
David Sullivan should consider any offer that comes his way for the 28-year-old, as his market value will most likely drop after this season.
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