Ask Declan Rice what he thinks about Lucas Paqueta and you’ll leave him almost lost for words.
‘He’s incredible, honestly, he’s absolutely incredible,’ Rice said recently.
At £51million it was expected that his signing would deliver weekly superlatives of his greatness, lifting West Ham into a new tier with a style to the envy of their rivals.
What actually transpired was, if we’re being kind, a slow burn as he adapted to English football. If you were being unkind you’d say he was bordering on a ‘flop’ label as he and manager David Moyes seemed at odds on how best to use him.
Used as a No 10 and then in a deepeer role, nothing was clicking but in recent months something has locked into place and if Rice, one of his biggest fans, leaves, as expected this summer, West Ham won’t need to look too far to discover the next midfield centre piece they should build around.
Lucas Paqueta (right) is beginning to catch fire after a tough start to life with West Ham
Declan Rice has described the Brazilian international as ‘incredible’ to play alongside
There is no escaping that goalscoring is a problem area for a player as talented as Paqueta. A return of five goals in 39 games in all competitions is nowhere near enough.
But unlike at the start of the season the positives are obvious now; his bite in the middle of the park sees him topping the tackling charts since February and there is a growing confidence to his game which is allowing more of his natural flair to show itself.
‘We brought in quite a few players and for me personally, not so many of them hit the ground running. But I think Lucas has been the one who has really, really come through now and shown it,’ Moyes said after the win over Leeds.
‘It’s a good time for us because at the end of the season, we needed him. Making some goals, helping us get to a final and obviously, he performed really well today.’
And he is taking that renewed confidence and belief into Wednesday’s Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina.
A European final requires your biggest stars to perform and Paqueta is elevating at the perfect time from a West Ham perspective.
It is understood that improvements with his English – he has three lessons a week – is helping his acclimitisation in the side and his naturally bubbly personality is proving a hit off the pitch with team-mates and staff members.
His development is a perfect case-in-point of why it’s important not to throw the towel in on a player that doesn’t settle immediately.
One notable flare-up came when his frustration at coming off in the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa in March saw him blank Moyes and his coaching staff.
Off he huffed down the tunnel, before it was smoothed over and rectified.
Paqueta’s numbers from the 2022-23 season show his success in duels and in his pressing
Paqueta frustrated in early part of the season but his confidence has soared in recent weeks
If West Ham are to rebuild after Rice, there’s a sense Paqueta is the man to build around
It has been frustrating for Paqueta as much as it has been for supporters but the fruits of his labour are now beginning to come to the fore.
‘It’s obviously taken him a while to settle into the Premier League and into the training ground, moving his family over,’ Rice continued.
‘I think now you’re seeing the real Lucas. Some of the stuff he does, even in training, it’s just mind-boggling how good he is.’
Rice added: ‘The confidence he has in his own ability to beat players and do mad skills. If we tried that, we’d have no chance. You’re starting to see the best of him now so long may it continue.’
It is not just on the pitch where he is winning the hearts of West Ham fans, Paqueta was among the handful of players who took on AZ Alkmaar’s ultras in the stands after hooligans targeted an area close to the players’ families.
Videos showed Paqueta, along with team-mates Flynn Downes and Saïd Benrahma scrapping with AZ fans as they attempted to defend their loved ones. No fear.
David Moyes has seen an improvement in Paqueta which has arrived at an ideal time now
West Ham head to Prague for the Europa Conference League final eager for Paqueta to star
Now it’s all eyes on Prague and all eyes on Paqueta.
For as much as all the talk right now is on what is next for Rice, it will also be about whether they have the heir to their midfield throne under their noses.
Fiorentina will be no pushovers but on top form Paqueta can be the stand-out player on the entire pitch.
Now it’s just down to him to prove it.
