Graham Potter Confident Lucas Paquetá Will Stay at West Ham Despite Aston Villa Interest

West Ham head coach Graham Potter expects midfielder Lucas Paquetá to stay at the club after Monday's transfer deadline, despite interest from Aston Villa and other Premier League sides.

Villa opened talks for a loan deal with an obligation to buy, reportedly valuing the Brazilian around £50m including fees. Paquetá, 28, responded on the pitch against Nottingham Forest with a late penalty in West Ham's 3-0 victory, celebrating his goal by mimicking a phone call and kissing the club badge.

When asked if Paquetá would remain a Hammer, Potter said simply: "Yes."

"The speculation has followed Lucas for a while, but his professionalism is outstanding. He gave everything today, scoring and helping secure the win."

Captain Jarrod Bowen also urged supporters not to "believe everything you read online", praising Paquetá's performance under pressure.

Other clubs, including Tottenham and Everton, have also shown interest in the midfielder.

Potter's confident assertion underscores the club's desire to retain a key creative talent amid transfer speculation.

This topic was reported by BBC Sport.

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