Lucas Paqueta is being mercilessly trolled in France for wanting to join West Ham United but haters are missing the point.
French outlet L’Equipe has been right across West Ham’s move for Paqueta this week.
And they claim there has been a massive Lucas Paqueta U-turn after late night talks between West Ham United and Lyon.
Many West Ham fans would have gone to bed last night disappointed after two top transfer reporters said David Moyes’ move to sign the Brazilian looked to be ‘off’.
Sky Sports’ Dharmesh Sheth and Fabrizio Romano both claimed they had been told the move had hit the buffers after a final, improved West Ham bid was snubbed by the Ligue 1 side.
But Hammers fans woke up this morning to the sensational news that West Ham are now in fact closing in on sealing an incredible record transfer for the 24-year-old (L’Equipe).
Of course until West Ham fans see him holding up the shirt on the club’s official website they will hold fire on any celebrations.
However, the move is looking increasingly likely for a reported club record £50.65m fee.
The Brazil star had better have his tin hat ready, though, it seems.
Lucas Paqueta is being mercilessly trolled in France for wanting to join West Ham but haters are missing the point
Because Paqueta is being mercilessly trolled in France for wanting to join West Ham but haters are missing the point.
One glance at social media responses to posts from journalists about the impending move tells you all you need to know.
The comments section on the L’Equipe story – there are nearly 200 at the time of writing – is awash with comments criticising Paqueta for joining ‘nothing club’ West Ham.
AS journalist Andrés Onrubia Ramos – who has also reported the move being close – says Paqueta’s move is a result of French clubs waving the white flag to PSG as they ‘aspire to nothing more than finishing second’.
The responses saw the journalist and West Ham lambasted by mostly Lyon fans, with many saying West Ham do not aspire to anything more than finishing in the top eight.
But the haters are completely missing the point.
For a start West Ham showed their class on the pitch when they wiped the floor with Lyon in their own backyard to knock Paqueta and co out of the Europa League last season.
The Brazilian was probably impressed with the ambition and desire of the Hammers, who survived Lyon’s desperate attempts to use the dark arts rather than their talent for a place in the semi-finals.
And what these Paqueta critics clearly aren’t grasping is that a hugely ambitious move for Lyon’s best player shows exactly the opposite intention of their claims.
West Ham clearly aren’t satisfied to just be a top eight team or just go through the motions and pick up the big Premier League bucks.
They want to challenge and push the so-called established elite.
And the east Londoners are certainly making a better fist of that in the fiercely competitive Premier League than Lyon are in the vastly inferior Ligue 1 – where they finished a pathetic eighth last term.
Lyon are a proud, historic club with plenty of trophies in their cabinet.
But West Ham have one of the biggest attendances in the UK, the most season ticket holders in the entire country (55,000) and a loyal and passionate support who sell out home and away despite not having won a major trophy for 42 years.
The owners are finally showing ambition in line with that of the fans. And it should be celebrated not mocked.
Look at the measly number of Lyon fans that travelled over for the quarter-final first leg at the London Stadium. West Ham took nearly 10 times that number of supporters to France a week later.
West Ham fans are too long in the tooth to take notice of the barbs being thrown around trying to depict the Hammers as a small club.
Hammers fans will be drinking the tears of Lyon fans – again – if the club can get the Paqueta deal over the line.
MORE WEST HAM NEWS
Tim Vickery: Paqueta is petulant but West Ham fans should be very excited.
Viborg post message on social media and West Ham respond.
Ex West Ham enigma frozen out by Bilic makes shock move to Celtic.
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
