Graham Potter Confident Lucas Paqueta Will Stay At West Ham Amid Transfer Speculation

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Graham Potter praised Lucas Paqueta's outstanding performance and expressed confidence that the midfielder will remain with West Ham after their victory against Nottingham Forest. The Hammers secured their first Premier League win of the season by scoring three goals in seven minutes, resulting in a 3-0 triumph at the City Ground. Jarrod Bowen opened the scoring in the 84th minute, followed by Paqueta's penalty goal, and Callum Wilson's header during stoppage time.

Paqueta has maintained a perfect record from the penalty spot for West Ham, converting all six attempts. Despite rumours linking him to Aston Villa, he showed his commitment to West Ham by tapping and kissing the badge after his goal. Potter acknowledged Paqueta's dedication amidst transfer speculation. "Yes," he said when asked if Paqueta would stay. "It's what we're here for - to win and prove we have the quality and prove we are a team."

Bowen highlighted his teammate's determination, stating, "Don't believe everything you read online." He noted that some doubted Paqueta would play but praised him for scoring. Reflecting on the match, Bowen added that while the season's start wasn't ideal, they have the quality and resilience to turn things around. He felt they defended well and deserved their win, limiting Forest's chances.

The victory provided some relief for Potter, but Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo faces uncertainty about his future. Nuno plans discussions with owner Evangelos Marinakis to address club needs after this setback. "We will have a conversation looking for the best," Nuno stated. He emphasised the need to improve and play better football despite being upset by the result.

Forest struggled offensively throughout the match, managing only three shots on target from 11 attempts with an xG of 0.6. This defeat marked their worst Premier League loss since an 8-1 defeat to Manchester United in February 1999. It was also Nuno's most significant loss as a Premier League coach since Tottenham lost 3-0 to United in October 2021.

Nuno admitted it was a difficult day and stressed preventing such outcomes in future matches. He saw an opportunity during the international break to work with remaining players and improve their performance. Reflecting on the game, he noted a lack of urgency from his team from the start and acknowledged they needed more speed in both halves.

Nuno described it as a shock when discussing how they became unbalanced chasing results without caution during the second half. While acknowledging a balanced first half, he recognised they needed more speed but failed to deliver it in the second half.