Nuno responds when asked if Lucas Paqueta has played his last game for West Ham United

Nuno responds when asked if Lucas Paqueta has played his last game for West Ham United

Nuno Espírito Santo was put on the spot over Lucas Paquetá’s future at West Ham United following their crucial Premier League victory over Sunderland.

Paquetá was absent as the Hammers delivered another vital result in their fight to avoid relegation. West Ham were impressive throughout the afternoon, easing to a 3-1 win at the London Stadium to close the gap to just two points behind 17th-placed Nottingham Forest.

Speculation continues to swirl around Paquetá’s situation, with the Brazilian eager to leave amid strong interest from his former club Flamengo. Reports earlier this week claimed West Ham had already rejected a second bid for the midfielder. While the issue clearly needs resolving, it is understood the club would prefer to keep Paquetá on loan until the end of the season should a permanent deal be agreed.

Nuno addresses Lucas Paquetá transfer situation

Given the circumstances, it was inevitable that West Ham’s head coach would be questioned about Paquetá during his post-match press conference.

Although it felt unfortunate that the focus shifted to transfer speculation after one of West Ham’s most convincing performances in recent months, such discussions are unavoidable during the January window. When asked directly whether Paquetá may have already played his final game for the club, Nuno offered little clarity.

Instead, the Portuguese coach reiterated his desire for a swift resolution, emphasising the need for all parties to reach a clear agreement.
“What I hope is the situation to be solved as soon as possible,” Nuno said, speaking via The Independent.
“Every part involved has to be clear so we know the direction to move forward.”

West Ham finding new match winners without Paquetá

There is no denying Paquetá’s quality. On his day, the former Lyon midfielder possesses a level of creativity few in the squad can match, and at his best he can combine effectively with Jarrod Bowen to decide matches.

However, that version of Paquetá has appeared too infrequently this season. In his absence, others have stepped up when it matters most.

Crysencio Summerville and Mateus Fernandes both delivered against Sunderland, underlining West Ham’s growing attacking options. Summerville opened the scoring with a superb header, while Fernandes produced an even more eye-catching moment with a stunning long-range strike.

With players now emerging as reliable match winners, West Ham may no longer be as dependent on Paquetá as they once were.