Two weeks ago, when Lucas Paquetá calmly tucked a penalty past Nottingham Forest’s Matz Sels, his celebration said more than words ever could.
On the same afternoon that manager Graham Potter dismissed speculation linking the Brazilian to Aston Villa, Paquetá kissed the West Ham badge and mimed tossing away a mobile phone – a not-so-subtle message following Fabrizio Romano’s claim that a Villa move was imminent.
In the end, Aston Villa’s deadline-day reinforcements were Harvey Elliott, snapped up from Liverpool, and Jadon Sancho on loan. But according to Hammers News, it was Paquetá who head coach Unai Emery truly wanted.
Naturally, Emery was never going to openly discuss missing out on such a marquee target. Instead, the ex-Arsenal, Sevilla and PSG boss went into damage-control mode, stressing that he is “so, so happy” with Villa’s current squad despite failing to lure the Brazilian to Villa Park.
“Now, we are trying to get everything with the idea to build a team quickly with the new players,” Emery told the club’s official website before Saturday’s clash with Everton. “With three signings on deadline day and others who left after pre-season, like Jacob Ramsey and Leon Bailey, we must work daily to adapt the newcomers to our structure.
“We have to keep motivated, continue with the players who were already performing, and integrate those who’ve just joined. I’m so, so happy with the squad we have now and how everyone is responding.”
Meanwhile, Paquetá has flourished at West Ham, becoming both a regular starter and a consistent scorer. His stunning strike against Chelsea earned a Goal of the Month nomination, one of four goals in his last four appearances for club and country.
His close friend and Brazil teammate Bruno Guimarães is delighted to see Paquetá enjoying football again after enduring a difficult two-year spot-fixing trial.
“It was a hard time for him,” the Newcastle captain told ESPN. “We supported him through many moments of tears, pain, and finally joy as the case progressed in his favour. It made our friendship stronger.
“Now, he looks like the Paquetá I knew at Flamengo and Lyon – cheerful, full of life, always joking. He’s started the season brilliantly, scoring goals and smiling again.
“If I were him, I don’t think I could’ve handled that level of uncertainty – having your career in the hands of others. But now he’s happy, grateful, and playing with that smile we all know.”
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