Why West Ham United really could have Lucas Paqueta replacement in Reo Hatate

West Ham United could view Celtic midfielder Reo Hatate as a late replacement for Lucas Paqueta.

The Hammers let the Brazil international go in January after a controversial period at the London Stadium.

He was cleared of spot fixing charges, but his mental health was ultimately impacted by the process.

That clearly impacted his form as the 28-year-old scored just four goals for the Hammers in half a season before leaving.

The attacking midfielder went on to join Flamengo, but wasn't truly replaced by the Irons.

Their failure to do so played its role in relegation and it finally looks as if they could land an alternative in the shape of Hatate.

Nils Koppen eyes a move for Celtic's Reo Hatate at West Ham

No fresh faces have come through the door at the London Stadium, but there are plenty of targets in mind.

That is thanks in part due to Nils Koppen's late arrival as he is working to pick out talents in a shorter period than he would typically expect.

The Belgian only arrived from Copenhagen on 4 July, so is keen to get his feet under the table in East London.

He could do exactly that by making a move for Celtic midfielder Hatate.

The i Paper reported on Thursday that the Japan international wants to leave Parkhead this summer, with the Irons linked to his signature.

They suggest that the 28-year-old is an "attractive" option due to his passing quality and versatility.

That could see Hatate represent the perfect replacement for Paqueta as they have missed that sort of attacking creativity since his departure.

How does Hatate compare to Lucas Paqueta?

The two may play in different leagues, but they do profile surprisingly similar.

Hatate actually sits clear when compared to the Brazilian in a number of key areas.

The Celtic man put up 48.63 successful passes per 90 last campaign and created an average of 1.92 chances with those.

By comparison, Paqueta completed 44.40 passes and 1.32 chances created which sits below the West Ham target.

He also shines closer to goal after taking 1.56 shots with 0.57 on target per 90, whereas the Flamengo star could only manage 0.88 accurate strikes from 2.86 efforts.

That sums up that Hatate could prove to be the missing piece for the Hammers after months without a true creator in chief.