Lucas Paqueta says West Ham United fans made his mum and girlfriend cry and now he will focus on paying them back.
There has been huge excitement at West Ham around the record signing of Paqueta from Lyon.
West Ham signed eight players in the summer window.
But there is no doubt the capture of the Brazilian midfield star has caught the imagination more than any other.
Paqueta has already shown glimpses of his immense talent. He could have should have got the winner against Spurs during a lively cameo in his first appearance.
And he also showed West Ham fans, his teammates and David Moyes that he is willing to get stuck in and defend too on his full debut at Chelsea.
The signing of Paqueta has been described by The Times as ‘pinch yourself stuff’ for West Ham fans.
They have a point. The West Ham of old would only have gone after a player like Paqueta when he was perhaps past his best and the wrong side of 30.
Here Moyes, Rob Newman and the West Ham owners have managed to sign Brazil’s number 10 in his prime.
Not only that but the standout player of Brazil’s World Cup qualification campaign. This is a Brazil team currently ranked by FIFA as the best in the world.
West Ham fans feel lucky to have him and excited about what they can achieve with the 25-year-old in their side.
But speaking in an in-depth interview with The Times – his first non-club interview since signing for the Hammers – Paqueta says he feels like the lucky one.
In fact Paqueta says West Ham fans made his mum and girlfriend cry and now he has vowed he will pay them back.
“(The reception I received from the West Ham fans during my unveiling) made me incredibly emotional: my wife and mum were crying,” Paqueta told The Times.
“(My desire) is to devote myself to this club — to repay the trust of everyone…
“I can already feel that difference (in England) to the football elsewhere – it’s quicker, more competitive and in training you feel it too. It’s the kind of football I love.
“I’m the type who likes competing and hates losing and I want to embrace that, settle in properly and become a fundamental part of the team.”
That is surely only a matter of time on the basis of what West Ham fans have seen so far.