West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta has labelled his teammate Emerson Palmieri “a top player”.

The Brazilian international has struck up a good understanding with the fullback both on and off the pitch and, speaking about the left-back, he said:

“Emerson is a very good player, a top player, and I’m very happy to play with him because he understands me and he knows me and when I have the ball I understand him. It’s so easy to play with him and I’m so happy!”

It is interesting to note that Paqueta knew Emerson even before arriving at the London Stadium last year.

The Italian spent a season on loan at Lyon during the 2021/22 campaign so, when both players moved to the Hammers in the same summer, there was an existing relationship already there.

Emerson has exceeded expectations since joining West Ham

The fullback was signed from Chelsea for just £12m in August 2022 but he didn’t fully convince with his performances during his first 12 months with the Irons, as he shared duties at left-back with Aaron Cresswell.

However, after establishing himself as first-choice at the beginning of this season, Emerson hasn’t looked back. He has hardly put a foot wrong and he is now one of the first names on the teamsheet.

The pair’s strong bond could help West Ham keep Paqueta

There has been constant talk about Paqueta’s future over the last few months, with the midfielder drawing strong interest from Manchester City and other teams.

The fact that the Brazilian says he is “so happy” to be playing alongside Emerson gives supporters hope that the player will stay in London for the foreseeable future.

Based on his form this campaign, which has seen him rack up 5 goals and 4 assists in 23 appearances, Paqueta seems to be very settled at West Ham.