Former striker-turned-pundit Darren Bent has hailed West Ham United’s Lucas Paqueta and believes the Brazilian is good enough to play for Manchester United.
Paqueta was heavily linked with a move to Manchester City in the summer, and had it not have been for a betting-related investigation, probably would be playing for Pep Guardiola.
However, things didn’t quite go to plan and the South American has now remained working under David Moyes in London.
And speaking live on talkSPORT recently, Bent praised Paqueta for focusing on the task at hand and not getting distracted by off-field scandals, as well as admitting he believes the midfielder is good enough to play for a club the size of United.
“I wouldn’t say he’s too good for West Ham but what I will say, and it’s fair play to him, we’ve seen this happen before on both ends of the scale,” he said.
“He can score goals, he can create, he works incredibly hard, he’s good technically, he’s good to watch. He looks like he really enjoys playing for that football club.
“Do I think he can play at a higher level? Absolutely, he plays for Brazil, I think he can definitely play for a team that’s in the Champions League but I think right now, what he’s doing at West Ham I think is fantastic.
“But I think for where West Ham are right now… like you wouldn’t go, ‘Right straightaway someone like Paqueta should be playing for City.’ Not yet, he doesn’t get in their starting XI.”
Challenged by co-host Andy Goldstein on whether or not Paqueta would get into Man United’s line-up, Bent said: “Yeah. It would have to be him, Bruno [Fernandes] and Casemiro.”