West Ham face a potential midfield conundrum with Paqueta attracting interest from his homeland. Botafogo and Flamengo want the Brazilian maestro amid rumours he is trying to avoid punishment for his ongoing betting scandal.
Whether Paqueta returns to Brazil or joins another European giant, this is an opportunity for the Hammers to pull off a transfer masterstroke by securing McAtee from Man City.
The 22-year-old is languishing on the City bench despite flourishing during two loan spells at Sheffield United. The Salford Silva is a dynamic player who can fill the Paqueta-sized hole at the club.
McAtee, like Silva, can pick up exciting positions between the line and thread gorgeous, defence-splitting passes in the final third. His fleet-footedness leaves markers stranded, and his off-the-ball work rate is impressive.
Replacing Paqueta with McAtee would be a shrewd move. At £20 million, the attacking midfielder represents excellent value for money. City will prefer to receive cash for the player, or they could map out a player plus cash exchange involving Paqueta, whom they were previously linked to.
McAtee can handle the Premier League’s rigours, and his technical brilliance aligns perfectly with West Ham’s increasingly possession-based approach under manager Julen Lopetegui.
West Ham must act swiftly to sign the England under-21 international to replace Paqueta, who has been off-form this season.
This is an opportunity to fill the potential void left by the former AC Milan and Lyon man and secure a young talent with the potential to become a cornerstone of the club’s midfield for years to come. His creativity, vision, and eye for goal make him a perfect fit for Lopetegui’s system.
Letting this chance slip by could prove to be a costly mistake. West Ham must show their ambition and secure a future star.