West Ham United captain Declan Rice has heaped glowing praise on midfield colleague Lucas Paqueta following his impressive form in recent months.
Paqueta, who joined the Hammers from Olympique Lyonnais for an initial transfer fee of £36.7million last August, potentially rising as high as £52.6million if potential add-ons are triggered, initially took time to show his best after moving to the London Stadium, but in recent months has shown more signs of playing at his best and has been integral to West Ham’s strong end to the season.
A big part of his form has been due to his midfield partnership with Hammers skipper Rice and fellow midfield colleague Tomas Soucek, with manager David Moyes now finding the best out of his midfield as a trio.
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What Paqueta has showed is his quality and ability to produce fancy flicks, tricks and dribble past players with ease at times. Based on his recent form, Rice feels that Paqueta is now showing what he is capable of and admits to be baffled by some of things he is able to do in training.
“He’s incredible, honestly, he’s absolutely incredible,” Rice told the Evening Standard . “It’s obviously taken him a while to settle into the Premier League and into the training ground, moving his family over.
"I think now you’re seeing the real Lucas. Some of the stuff he does, even in training, it’s just mind-boggling how good he is.”
Rice went on to compliment Paqueta further by saying the confidence he plays with allows him to make things happen for himself and his West Ham teammates. West Ham’s midfield star and England ace believes that any of West Ham’s players would struggle if they attempted to recreate some of things he has produced.
“It’s just the confidence he’s got and the time he creates for himself on the ball,” Rice continued.
“The confidence he has in his own ability to beat players and do mad skills. If we tried that, we’d have no chance. You’re starting to see the best of him now so long may it continue.”
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