West Ham’s 2025/26 Premier League campaign has unravelled at an alarming pace. Graham Potter’s short-lived tenure ended in dismissal, and his replacement, Nuno Espírito Santo, is still searching for his first win since taking charge.

The mood around East London reflects that struggle. Supporter frustration has reached boiling point, with protests against the board escalating into marches and even a boycott of the Brentford match. Right now, being at West Ham feels far from pleasant.

Time for Players to Step Up

Moments like these test the mettle of a squad. When the club is on its knees, real leaders emerge — those willing to dig in, fight for every ball, and restore pride to the badge.

It’s the old cliché: when the going gets tough, the tough get going. But fans can tell who’s truly committed and who’s already eyeing the exit door.

Unfortunately for West Ham, Lucas Paquetá appears to fall into the latter category.

Paquetá’s Commitment in Question

Once viewed as West Ham’s most gifted player, Paquetá is now a symbol of frustration. The club stood by him through his betting investigation — a period that could easily have derailed his career — yet reports suggest he now wants to engineer a move away in January.

For a side hovering dangerously close to the relegation zone, that lack of commitment is a major problem. These are the moments that define a season, and passengers simply can’t be carried.

Underwhelming Numbers

A reported £60 million price tag for Paquetá seems steep given his current form. Three goals and no assists in all competitions this season hardly justify such a valuation.

In total, since joining West Ham, Paquetá has managed 17 goals (seven from the penalty spot) and 14 assists in 121 appearances. Those aren’t disastrous numbers, but they’re hardly befitting a player touted as a creative linchpin.

Worryingly, he’s never scored more than four Premier League goals in a single season. His shooting accuracy — 29.7% and 22.2% over the last two campaigns — and conversion rates below 10% expose a lack of cutting edge.

And while he’s shown flashes of defensive work — 611 recoveries and 172 successful tackles from 261 attempts — those contributions have been inconsistent at best.

A Flair Player in a Fight

Paquetá’s game is built around flair and finesse, not grit and grind. The statistics show he loses more duels than he wins, both on the ground and in the air. His passing accuracy, hovering in the mid-to-upper 70s, is unremarkable for a player of his technical ability and reflects a tendency to drift through matches rather than dominate them.

At a time when West Ham desperately need leaders, Paquetá’s laid-back style feels more like a luxury they can no longer afford.

Time to Cash In

If Paquetá is determined to leave, West Ham’s best option may be to cash in sooner rather than later. A handful of strong “shop window” performances could raise his value and, in turn, help the club both financially and on the pitch in the short term.

Should Nuno fail to spark a turnaround by January, selling Paquetá becomes less of a choice and more of a necessity. Letting him go for a reduced fee would sting — but it might be the pragmatic move to reset a squad in dire need of hunger and unity.

For West Ham’s long-suffering supporters, it would be yet another sign that the problems run deeper than the dressing room. Change is needed — on the pitch, in the dugout, and perhaps most urgently, in the boardroom.