Tottenham have been keen on signing West Ham attacking midfielder Lucas Paqueta over the past few months.
Paqueta, a Brazil international, despite his talent, has been extremely inconsistent for the Hammers, and he appears to be in his final season at the club.
Tottenham, given their struggles on the pitch and injury concerns, have been exploring the market for creative midfielders in order to give them the best chance of securing a top-half finish.
Fill in the blank: Tottenham most need to focus on signing a __________________ in January?
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Lucas Paqueta now wants West Ham exit
According to talkSPORT, Paqueta is keen on sealing a permanent exit after spending three-and-a-half years at the London Stadium.
The 28-year-old was even left out of the Hammers squad on Sunday, fuelling speculation of his exit.
Tottenham and Aston Villa have been in the hunt for the Brazilian for a while and are keeping tabs on his situation.
While he does want out of West Ham, a move to the Premier League is no longer of any appeal to him.
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The attacking midfielder was previously linked with Manchester City and was even keen on joining them a few seasons ago.
However, now he does not want Spurs or Villa, as he is eyeing a return to Brazil and being close to his family.
Lucas Paqueta does not favour a move to Tottenham…😮
Who would YOU sign instead of him? 🤔
Tottenham expected to find alternatives to Lucas Paqueta
As Paqueta seems to have made up his mind over his next destination, it makes sense for Tottenham to move to alternate targets.
In a way, the Lilywhites are dodging a bullet as the Brazilian’s attitude was not the best and even rubbed West Ham fans the wrong way.
He rarely managed to use his talent to become the player that carried the team on his shoulders, and in recent months, became more of a liability than an asset.
His petulance against Liverpool, which saw him receive two yellow cards in a minute, speaks volumes about his failure to stand up for his side when the chips are down.
There are a number of quality midfielders and wide attackers that would be open to joining Spurs, even on loan, in January, so the focus is now expected to be on them in the next few weeks.