West Ham have reportedly stepped up their hunt for a Lucas Paqueta replacement.

What you need when you’re struggling is your best players to step up their game. After an awful performance against Brentford, most of West Ham’s players did just that. The likes of Jarrod Bowen, Mohammed Kudus, and Michail Antonio all had impeccable games against Ipswich the following week but, unfortunately, the same can not be said about Lucas Paqueta.

For about a year, the Brazilian has been well below par. Once one of the Hammers best players, he’s now become one of the most controversial. Some argue that he can not be dropped due to the ability he has, while others would respond by asking how long can these performances continue before Lopetegui’s hand is forced.

However, it’s not just his form that could cause him to not play, as there’s every chance he could be banned for life if found guilty of breaching betting regulations.

According to Football Insider, West Ham are now hard at work trying to find a replacement in the event that does get banned.

You’d assume that if it was to happen, Summerville would play on the left and Kudus would play as a 10, but the Hammers would still need to find someone to provide competition in that creative midfield role.

After their big Summer transfer spend, it’s unknown how much the Irons would be willing to spend on a replacement, but not being able to raise any funds from his departure could limit the amount drastically.

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