Lucas Paqueta has been put through the wringer over the past few years, but there is light at the end of the tunnel for the West Ham United midfielder, having been cleared of wrongdoing in an FA betting scandal.
The spot-fixing charges pinned against the Brazil international would have had a ruinous effect on his career, had he failed to clear his name.
The 27-year-old can now turn his focus back to his football, and it’s a good thing too, for he struggled to capture his previous form under David Moyes last term, patently distracted by the off-field issues.
Graham Potter’s controlled, technical game aligns perfectly with the style of Paqueta, who has been described in the past as a “magician” by journalist Robbie Mustoe.
But he could do with some extra creative help in the middle of the park, and Potter is lining up a new dance partner.
West Ham in talks for new midfielder
Potter has welcomed Kyle Walker-Peters and El Hadji Malick Diouf to the Hammers ranks this summer, but after losing Mohammed Kudus to Tottenham Hotspur for a £55m fee, more is needed across the midfield and attack.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Well, according to GIVEMESPORT, West Ham have pitched their proposal to Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey, who is weighing up his options after falling down the pecking order in Unai Emery’s system.
Villa don’t particularly want to cash in on their homegrown product, but it’s felt that a bid of £40m would seal the deal.
Tottenham also have a long-standing interest in the versatile Englishman.
What Jacob Ramsey would bring to West Ham
Paqueta’s struggles make the perfect comment on how bad patches of form can affect any player. But class is permanent, and Ramsey could join the South American in leaping back into the ascendancy if signing for West Ham.
Still playing for his boyhood club, Ramsey has featured 167 times for the men’s team, though the past few years have indeed been testing and it might be the right time for him to jump ship and try his hand elsewhere.
A resurgence may yet be on the cards; Ramsey was regarded as one of the finest talents in English football when he burst onto the scene, journalist Charles Watts singling out his “special” quality.
West Ham are happy to give him that chance. Energetic, creative and a confident dribbler, there’s a lot to like, with Sofascore recording that the 24-year-old created five big chances in the Premier League last season, also completing 66% of his dribbles and winning 59% of his duels.
But that’s not to say that Ramsey doesn’t have the potential to become a standout in the Premier League and a regular in Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions squad, with Statman Dave once claiming the attacking midfielder is capable of “magic” things on the ball.
24/25
29 (19)
1
3
23/24
16 (8)
1
1
22/23
35 (31)
6
7
21/22
34 (29)
6
1
20/21
22 (6)
0
0
The past two campaigns have been frustrating on an individual level for Ramsey, with injuries and consequent slides in form leading to a more peripheral role, but along with Paqueta, who also has a flair for shifting between the left wing and a central midfield berth, Potter could create something special indeed.
The South American playmaker spent the lion’s share of the 2024/25 campaign in central areas, and Potter will likely seek to retain that next year, especially with Ramsey charging up and down the wing, latching onto Paqueta’s passes.
Ramsey might not be the flashiest name out there, but he could bloom into a superstar yet, and West Ham might look back at this one as a shrewd bargain, should he sign this summer.
Potter's new Bissouma: West Ham accelerate move for "outstanding" £20m star
West Ham want to sign at least one midfielder this summer
1 ByJoe NuttallAug 1, 2025