So then, there goes Lucas Paqueta.
The Brazilian playmaker’s career in English football was a complicated one, and not without its controversy, but he departs West Ham United having played an instrumental role in winning European silverware, playing a threaded pass through to Jarrod Bowen in the dying embers in Prague to seal the Conference League title.
In that, the Brazilian sealed his legacy in east London, but the circumstances around his departure and all that has led to it will rankle the Hammers fanbase for some time, especially with Nuno Espirito Santo’s side currently embroiled in a Premier League relegation battle.
Paqueta was one of the best, a standout alongside Bowen and Declan Rice. Now only the skipper remains, and the board need to sign a talented leader to help spearhead a successful new era at the London Stadium.
West Ham lining up late bid ahead of deadline
West Ham are understood to have banked around £35.5m for Paqueta, and the 28-year-old’s departure at this critical point in the season will see fans expectant of a new signing or two to stave off relegation danger.
West Ham have left a lot to be desired in attack this season, but so too have they struggled in defence, and Nuno appears intent on adding a centre-back to his ranks before the end of the January transfer window.
As per Sky Sports, West Ham have seen a bid for Southampton’s Taylor Harwood-Bellis rejected, with the Championship side rebuffing the Hammers’ offer for the defender, said by journalist Jacob Steinberg to be worth £12m, falling well below their valuation.
Saints are not enjoying a good season in the second tier, and hopes of returning to the big time currently look slim. West Ham will need to come back with an improved offer for the England international, who is open to the switch.
Last year, it was revealed that Southampton want to recoup as much as the £20m fee they paid to Manchester City in 2024, but United should have such funds available after saying goodbye to Paqueta.
What Harwood-Bellis would bring to West Ham
Harwood-Bellis was part of a truly wretched Southampton side last season who slumped into the Championship, but he’s one of the most talented players at the St. Mary’s Stadium and could kickstart his career by moving to West Ham and keeping the Premier League side afloat.
The Irons have been poor since parting with David Moyes, but there’s no question that they have enough quality in their ranks to climb out of the danger zone and preserve the top-flight status they have held since 2012/13.
An “incredible” talent, as per Man City manager Pep Guardiola, Harwood-Bellis is a central defender but one with a technical ability that could see him assume a dynamic role under Nuno’s wing, especially when the one-time goalkeeper experiments with a three-man backline.
Indeed, noted by content creator Jacob Horfall for having “regularly stepped into midfield” to utilise his ball-playing skills, Harwood-Bellis shares with former West Ham star Rice a capacity to star on the ball in a fashion that cannot be emulated by his fellow defenders.
|
Harwood-Bellis – Championship (25/26) |
|
|---|---|
|
Stats (* per 90) |
# |
|
Matches (starts) |
24 (24) |
|
Goals + Assists |
4 + 1 |
|
Clean sheets |
5 |
|
Touches* |
89.8 |
|
Accurate passes* |
58.1 (84%) |
|
Chances created* |
0.8 |
|
Ball recoveries* |
4.0 |
|
Tackles + interception* |
1.9 |
|
Duels (won)* |
6.0 (59%) |
|
Data via Sofascore |
|
He averages 4.21 long balls in the Championship this season, creating 0.8 chances per game (as shown above). Such rankings place him in the top bracket for both accounts, showing why West Ham should make their move.
Of course, Harwood-Bellis is not a Paqueta replacement, but his fluency and initiative on the ball could prove worthwhile in countering the loss of the South American’s creativity.
A natural-born leader too, Harwood-Bellis might even prove to emulate Rice in leading the club back into a successful era. It’s all a bit doom and gloom at the moment, but West Ham have won two on the bounce in the Premier League. Momentum is with the 18th-place side, and this signature could help instil even more positivity, both tactically and mentally.
While Rice is a truly one-of-a-kind player, he started his West Ham career as a centre-half and boasts a roundedness that few players can rival.
Harwood-Bellis is not cut from the same cloth, but he is a talented player whose technical craft lends itself to multi-positionality, marching forth into midfield when Southampton are in possession and looking to add dimensions to funnel play forward.
This could be an excellent signing for Nuno’s side, one they need to make if they are to escape from the relegation danger that threatens their place in the Premier League.
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