Lucas Paqueta has made an honest admission about his £51m move to West Ham but has vowed to repay faith of fans and teammates.
West Ham fans have been calling Lucas Paqueta their ‘Brazilian magnifico’ ever since he arrived at the club for a record £51m in the summer.
But the truth is until more recently he had done little on the pitch to justify that moniker from the Hammers faithful.
When West Ham signed the silky Brazil midfield star from Lyon nobody expected to see him rising like a salmon to power home a header at the far post that Andy Carroll would have been proud of.
But fans did expect to see a player who could sprinkle some star dust over proceedings and take West Ham’s play and passing to a different level.
‘Brazilian magnifico’ finally starting to live up to his moniker as penny drops
Well against Bournemouth, West Ham got both.
Paqueta was head and shoulders the best player on the pitch at the Vitality Stadium as West Ham romped to a 4-0 win.
But supporters – and manager David Moyes who was effusive in his praise – have seen that things have finally started to click for Paqueta in a West Ham shirt of late.
He looks stronger, totally committed to the fight and on the ball – well – at times it is like he has the opposition on strings.
Football fans have been left scratching their heads at times this season when watching Paqueta stand out for Brazil during international breaks.
On several occasions David Moyes has pleaded for patience for the likes of his £51m man to settle into the pace and tempo of the Premier League.
Now Paqueta has made an honest admission about his move to West Ham but vows to repay fans and his teammates.
Speaking to the club’s official website, Paqueta has conceded he has struggled since joining the Hammers.
But now he insists he has ‘100 per cent adapted’ to the English football and his teammates.
And Paqueta has vowed to keep taking English lessons to improve further and repay the love and faith West Ham fans have showed in him since the start.
Lucas Paqueta makes honest admission about his £51m move to West Ham but vows to repay faith of fans and teammates
“I feel the players are understanding each other more and more on the pitch,” Paqueta said.
“It’s normal that, with time, the players get the hang of each other. I feel like we are demonstrating that in the games. I’m very happy to be helping out my teammates and West Ham as a whole.
“I can safely say that I am adapting. Yes, it took some time to identify myself with the pace of the Premier League, the physicality, but I believe I am now 100 per cent adapted and I hope to get better and better and give my all each time I step out onto the field…
“I’m studying (English), I’m trying to learn. I’m a bit shy to speak. I know some things but I’m understanding it better. I’m looking forward to learning as fast as possible so I can repay the fans and the players as well in English all the love and affection they gave me.”
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