Legend thinks club must now ‘regret’ selling West Ham star for just £17m
Lucas Paqueta is one of a number of ‘regrets’ for AC Milan with the midfielder now a star for the Brazilian national team and of the Premier League with West Ham United.
That is according to legendary manager Arrigo Sacchi, the two-time European Cup winner accusing his former employers of letting a host of highly-talented footballers slip through the Rossoneri net.
Brahim Diaz, for instance, scored a stunning Champions League winner for Real Madrid away to RB Leipzig last week. Charles de Ketelaere failed to score a single goal for AC Milan but already has ten for Atalanta.
Hakan Calhanoglu, meanwhile, crossed the Milan divide and is now Serie A’s premiere string-puller in the blue-and-black of Inter.
West Ham star had just one year at AC Milan
To the aforementioned trio Sacchi also adds Franck Kessie, who’s contract also ran down before moving to Barcelona, and Lucas Paqueta, so influential at West Ham that Manchester City were encouraged to make an £80 million offer last summer (Sky Sports).
“The wonder of Brahim Diaz with the Real Madrid shirt in the Champions League, the constant growth of De Ketelaere with Atalanta, the increasingly decisive role of Calhanoglu at league leaders Inter…” Sacchi, who also guided Milan to the Scudetto in 1988, tells Gazzetta dello Sport.
“Three reasons for regret for Milan, there is no doubt about this.
“To these, if desired, we could also add Kessie, who has just won the African Cup of Nations (with the Ivory Coast). And Paqueta, who plays permanently with Brazil.”
Lucas Paqueta back in training
Paqueta, like De Ketelaere, spent just one season at the San Siro before being sold to Lyon for a cut-price £17 million back in 2020. The Ligue 1 outfit then more-than doubled their money when the 42-time Brazil international moved across the Channel two years later to the tune of around £50 million.
With five goals and six assists to his name this season, Paqueta’s return to fitness cannot come soon enough for a West Ham side who have lost their last two games – against Arsenal and Manchester United – by an aggregate score of 9-0.
Per The Standard, he is back in training ahead of this weekend’s trip to Nottingham Forest.
