When Lucas Paqueta arrived at AC Milan in the winter transfer window of the 2018-19 season, many thought the club had bought a talent that would dazzle for years to come.
Paqueta was signed by Milan for just under €40m and high expectations came with that price tag. After a good start and a leading role under Gennaro Gattuso things slowly began to turn a bit sour, with Marco Giampaolo at one point accusing him of being ‘too Brazilian’.
From that point he was never able to make a huge impact and the Rossoneri eventually sold him to Lyon for €20m in 2020. Milan included a 15% resale clause (of profits) and that was a very smart decision in the end, as he exploded with Lyon before joining West Ham for €60m.
Calciomercato.com have provided some background on Paqueta’s exit and more specifically why things didn’t work while at Milan. Firstly, he had problems adapting to a new life in Italy having left his homeland of Brazil at a young age.
Paqueta has admitted himself he felt ‘lonely’ after Leonardo – his compatriot and mentor – left for PSG, while the report goes on to mention that the playmaker’s style was not particularly conducive to Serie A either nor was it what Giampaolo was looking for. Milan, therefore, have no regrets about their decision to sell him.
