Why Thomas Frank wanted Tottenham to sign Lucas Paqueta in double West Ham raid

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Mohammed Kudus was not the only West Ham United star Tottenham Hotspur were interested in over the summer.

Tottenham were also keen on Lucas Paqueta, but they were only able to sign Kudus in the end.

Another attacker who was already at Spurs, Manor Solomon, was not threatened by Kudus’ arrival. However, the winger eventually departed north London on deadline day.

While Thomas Frank would not have been too bothered about Solomon’s exit, he would have been disappointed with Tottenham’s failure to sign Paqueta.

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Thomas Frank felt Lucas Paqueta would have added ‘guile and authority’ to Tottenham midfield

Tottenham have some good midfield options, but it seems that Frank feels he needs another body who can add something different.

According to TEAMtalk, Frank felt that Paqueta was capable of adding “guile and authority” to his Spurs midfield, resulting in the club making him a target.

However, the outlet claims that West Ham owner David Sullivan was very reluctant to sell the Brazilian, fearing the outrage that selling another of the team’s star players would cause.

In July, Tottenham completed the signing of Kudus from their London rivals, paying a £55m fee for his signature.

Had Paqueta been allowed to follow the 25-year-old to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, things could have got really ugly in east London.

Lucas Paqueta’s and Mohammed Kudus’ 2024/25 seasons compared

Paqueta is one of West Ham’s best players, while Kudus was also in that category during his time at the London Stadium.

Last season, though, neither were at their best. Kudus managed just five goals in the Premier League, while Paqueta only managed four. Statistically, Kudus’ attacking numbers were better, but the Ghana international played more minutes.

Nevertheless, Paqueta is still a player with a lot of quality. It is easy to see why Frank wanted him, and it is perhaps something that Tottenham can revisit in January.

Spurs are also being linked with Malick Fofana, so he is another individual who they could possibly target in the new year.