West Ham ‘wasn’t the right fit’ for midfielder Lucas Paqueta as his struggles with form continue, journalist Ryan Taylor told GIVEMESPORT.
West Ham United ‘wasn’t the right fit’ for Brazilian midfielder Lucas Paqueta and he made a ‘misjudgement’ in choosing to move to the London Stadium, Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor has informed GIVEMESPORT.
The 25-year-old was signed from Lyon last summer for a club-record fee of £51 million, though he has struggled to produce a consistent run of form as the Hammers battle for Premier League survival.
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Last month, Football Insider claimed that Paqueta could be set to depart West Ham this summer if they fail to retain their top-flight status and fall into the Sky Bet Championship.
Although he signed a five-year deal last summer with the option of another 12 months, the report states that the 5ft 11in ace is ‘unlikely’ to stay at the Hammers if they do go down, something he is said to be solely focused on trying to avoid for the remainder of this campaign.
Paqueta has made 29 appearances for West Ham this term, notching two goals and three assists in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.
The £130k-a-week ace was a star performer for the Irons in their vital 1-0 victory over Southampton last Sunday amid questions surrounding his form, making more tackles than any West Ham player in a league match for a decade as he successfully won tussles on ten occasions to aid a vital three points in their Premier League survival bid, as detailed by The Evening Standard.
What has Ryan Taylor said about Lucas Paqueta?
Daily Express journalist Taylor thinks that Paqueta and West Ham may not be a match made in heaven, given the fact that both the player and club have struggled to deliver consistent performances this season.
Taylor told GMS: “I know they [West Ham] thrashed Nottingham Forest a couple of weeks ago, which was so random and a good result, but the football is just so bland. They play 4-2-3-1, but Paqueta’s not had any impact on the game and I think now that it’s just a misjudgment of signing and a misjudgment from the player that West Ham wasn’t the right fit for him.”
Will Lucas Paqueta turn out to be a good signing for West Ham?
All things considered, Paqueta is a talented footballer who has perhaps fallen victim to some of the tactical decisions David Moyes has chosen to implement in recent months.
The Scot finds himself in a sticky position as West Ham hover just one point above the Premier League relegation zone with 11 games left to play, which makes it understandable that he may choose to sacrifice attacking flair in favour of making his side difficult to play against for the remainder of the season.
Despite his critics, Paqueta has still provided a creative spark at times this campaign, evidenced by the fact he has performed 51 shot-creating actions in the English top-flight for the Hammers, as shown on FBRef.
In the long-term, the 25-year-old could still turn out to be an astute bit of business if he is to stay at the London Stadium beyond this summer.
