Paul Scholes names the ‘impressive’ West Ham player who could star for Manchester United

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Paul Scholes has said that West Ham United attacking midfielder Lucas Paqueta is good enough to play for Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United.

The TNT Sports pundit has also compared Paqueta to Manchester United legend Eric Cantona.

So, what has Paul Scholes said about Manchester United and West Ham United star Lucas Paqueta? Let’s take a look.

West Ham United ace Lucas Paqueta could star for Manchester United

Well, West Ham United took on Manchester United at London Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday.

The Hammers won 2-0. Lucas Paqueta provided the assist for the second goal for the London club.

Paqueta started on the left of an attacking midfield-three in a 4-2-3-1 formation. The 26-year-old playmaker took two shots which were not on target, played three key passes, had a pass accuracy of 72.1%, won two headers, took 74 touches, attempted one dribble, and made two tackles.

Former Manchester United star Paul Scholes was hugely impressed by the display produced by Paqueta, a player that Declan Rice rates highly.

The TNT Sports pundit has compared him to Red Devils legend Eric Cantona and has named the clubs that he could easily play for.

Scholes said about Paqueta on TNT Sports 1 (2:49 pm, December 23, 2023): “He is so impressive. He can do everything, can’t he? The big thing that has surprised me is his physicality. 

“The size of him, he is a right unit. He almost reminds me of Cantona in that way that somebody who just bounces off him.

“But to go with that, he has also got a brilliant quality. Jarrod Bowen and Kudus must be licking their lips every time he gets the ball. ‘We are going to make runs and we are going to be found by the brilliance that he produces’.”

When asked about his future, Scholes noted: “With performances like that, I think there would be big clubs who would want him. Of course, they will.

“No disrespect to West Ham. I know that they are a big club, but when you are talking about Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Barcelona, you can see him playing in those teams because the lad has real quality.”

My View: Manchester United unlikely to be appealing to Lucas Paqueta

I do not see Lucas Paqueta leaving for Manchester United anytime soon. West Ham United are surely not going to sell the playmaker in the January transfer window, and I cannot envisage the Brazil international making the switch to the Red Devils in the summer of 2024.

Manchester City were strongly linked with Paqueta in the summer of 2023. There is speculation that City, who won the Premier League, the UEFA Champions League and the FA Cup last season, are still keen on the 26-year-old.

Yes, I know that Manchester United are a massive club, but they are not going to win the Premier League or the UEFA Champions League anytime soon. They are quite behind in terms of competing with the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal.

Paqueta is 26 now and is about to get into his best years. I think that he would want to play for a club where he would win major trophies.