West Ham want to sign amazing Paqueta replacement who’s “like Odegaard”

West Ham United haven’t been shy of spending money in recent transfer windows; just ask Julen Lopetegui after his first summer at the London Stadium.

Their spending stretches back several years but the 2022/23 season was one of the most notable, shelling out around £179m, making nine new signings, eight of which came in the summer transfer window, and one of which was made in January; Danny Ings.

The Hammers continued to try and find a reliable talisman, signing Gianluca Scamacca from Sassuolo for around £35.5m. The Italian went on to make just 27 appearances for the club, scoring just eight goals and totalling 1,342 minutes.

However, the biggest move of the window was bringing in Lucas Paqueta, signing the talented Brazilian from Lyon for around £51m, a club-record fee still yet to be broken.

Lucas Paqueta’s time at West Ham

Since joining the club for a record fee, Paqueta has made 97 appearances, scoring 15 goals and supplying 14 assists across 7,321 minutes on the pitch.

He has been a key man for both Moyes and Lopetegui in his time at the club and is seen as one of the Hammers’ most important players.

The 27-year-old is an attacking midfielder with an eye for a pass, looking to use his creativity in deep areas to get West Ham out of sticky situations, and then higher up the pitch to create chances for his teammates, while chipping in with goals himself.

So far this season, Paqueta has made 13 appearances, managing two goals in 877 minutes.

However, the Brazil international has attracted interest from the likes of Manchester City in the past, and there are still murmurs that his future could be up in the air.

West Ham’s possible Paqueta replacement

According to reports by The Sun, West Ham are considering a swoop for Manchester City’s, James McAtee. This comes after some doubts about Paqueta’s future at the club, as the Hammers may have to replace the Brazilian.

The reports suggest McAtee could be landed for around £20m, which could prove to be good value for the 22-year-old attacking midfielder. A “special” talent in the eyes of scout Jacek Kulig, he has already had a loan spell with Sheffield United in the Premier League, scoring five goals and providing four assists in his 33 games in all competitions.

So, how do the two players compare? We’ve got the answer from a statistical point of view.

Said to be “like Odegaard” by BBC Sports’ Carl Asaba, you can see when watching the midfielder that he has the tight space control and creativity to match the comparison, and his metrics begin to tell that story too.

Making 1.39 key passes per 90, completing 2.72 progressive carries and 2.52 progressive passes per 90, the 22-year-old has already showcased his ability on the ball whilst on loan at a relegation-battling side, and these numbers could improve further if in a better team on a consistent basis, with the freedom to express himself.

Whilst Paqueta’s numbers are better in many areas currently, the age gap is five years between the two, and if the City gem is afforded time to develop, whilst being trusted and given a platform to grow, he could easily hit the heights of West Ham’s star man and prove to be an excellent acquisition for the Irons.

Related

Antonio axed for £30m signing in West Ham’s dream XI after January

Here’s what West Ham’s starting XI could look like after a window of spending.