No sooner have West Ham lost one midfielder in Declan Rice than it seems another, Lucas Paqueta, wants to move on to pastures new.
David Moyes has endured the worst transfer window of all 20 Premier League clubs, and until this point hadn’t signed anyone at all.
Fortunately for the Scot, Ajax’s Edson Alvarez was confirmed as the club’s first signing early on Thursday morning, and he’s expected to be followed by Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse and Man United’s Harry Maguire.
Official, confirmed. Edson Álvarez joins West Ham on €38m deal which can reach €41m through variables ???? pic.twitter.com/mj13uuAWt1
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 10, 2023
Bringing in players right on top of the first fixture of the new season is hardly ideal, but it’s no use the Hammers and their supporters moaning about what’s gone before.
The issue moving forward is that there are still a few weeks left of the current window, and that means that players could be on the move well after the first match of the campaign.
Paqueta was a major influence on West Ham’s 2022/23 season in the end, and it was his sublime pass that sent Jarrod Bowen racing through to win the Europa Conference League in the last minute against Fiorentina.
It appears that the east Londoners are resigned to losing him, however, as Football Insider sources note that they’ve put a price on his head rather than a ‘not for sale’ sign.
Man City have already had a £70m bid turned down for the Brazilian, but a bid of £80m plus add-ons will see Pep Guardiola’s side land their man.
Paqueta will sulk If he doesn’t get the move. I was looking forward to seeing him this season but the City pull is too strong. We need to cash in on Paulinha now with the money we get for him.
Paqueta may sulk but Westham need to stand firm from what is understood from reports is that Paqueta has four years to go on his contract with a buy out clause for £85 million kicking in for next summer .The whole situation is a stich up it is about time clubs like Westham stood up to clubs such as Man City who remember are facing 100 charges relating to financial issues stretching back years brought by FA . As a supporter of the hammers since 1958 and season ticket holder since the late 1970s I urge the board tell Man City if they want Paqueta they need to pay £85 million up front now (which they can get next summer anyway according to the reported terms of Paqueta contract ) plus £15 million with £5 million of addons for the loss of Paqueta’s services for this season if not then tell them to go and take a running jump of tower bridge .PatM