West Ham United’s season has started disastrously and things could get worse as interest in key midfielder Lucas Paquetá grows.
The Brazilian international is the only West Ham player to score in the Premier League so far in 2025/26 and is attracting attention from Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Aston Villa.
While the pressure on head coach Graham Potter intensifies, the Irons have stated that Paquetá will not be sold for less than £50 million, as reported by The Mirror.
Premier League rivals interested in West Ham star
The new season could not have begun much worse for West Ham fans with a 3-0 defeat to newcomers Sunderland and a 5-1 hammering at home to London rivals Chelsea.
They were also knocked out of the Carabao Cup in the second round after losing 3-2 to Wolverhampton Wanderers in midweek.
With Potter having won just five of his 22 games since being appointed in January, many of the Hammers’ fanbase have signalled their desire for him to be replaced if they are to have any chance of survival this season.
Despite their poor start, Paquetá has been one of their few bright sparks, scoring in both the Chelsea and Wolves fixtures.
His long-range flier against the Blues evaded the reach of Robert Sánchez and gave the Irons an early lead, which was a sign of the 28-year-old’s talent that has earned him 55 caps for Brazil.
However, it seems they may have already signed a replacement in the form of Southampton’s Matheus Fernandes, who sealed a move to the London Stadium earlier this week.
With less than two days left in the transfer window, Spurs, Everton and Villa have all shown interest in Paquetá.
Despite scoring just four Premier League goals in each of his three seasons with West Ham, they have set a £50 million asking price, which could prove difficult for either of the three to meet in the short time that remains until the deadline.
Which team needs him most?
With the three sides set to battle it out for the Brazilian until the deadline, his signing would be a big statement for all.
Thomas Frank’s Tottenham have started the season excellently with victories over Burnley and Manchester City, but saw James Maddison ruled out of a large part of the campaign with an ACL injury.
However, Spurs still have a large number of options for their three-man midfield in Archie Gray, Joao Palhinha, Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma, Lucas Bergvall and Pape Matar Sarr.
Everton are also not desperate for an addition in attacking midfield after the permanent signings of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Carlos Alcaraz this summer.
The former has occupied the number 10 position in the Toffees’ first two league games so Paquetá would have to compete for a spot in the team.
David Moyes has also bid for fellow West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek, who previously impressed under the Scot’s management.
Aston Villa’s Europa League spot this season will require them to rotate their squad regularly, so Paquetá would be a strong signing for them to compete with the likes of Youri Tielemans and Emiliano Buendía.
They also sold fellow midfielder Jacob Ramsey to Newcastle United so his spot in the team could be taken up by the Brazilian.
However, Unai Emery’s side have struggled with the restraints of the league’s Profit and Sustainability rules, so the Irons’ £50 million asking price could be too much for them.
As a result, it feels unlikely that either of the three teams could make room for Paquetá or afford him and West Ham could be set to keep him at the London Stadium.