Insider: Genuine fears Lucas Paqueta could be out for months at West Ham after major reveal
Brazil had genuine fears Lucas Paqueta would miss the World Cup after he suffered a shoulder injury at West Ham.
That is the view of medical expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in injury and data analysis.
Paqueta has not featured for West Ham since suffering a shoulder injury in the 1-1 draw with Southampton earlier this month (16 October).
Brazilian outlet UOL reported last week (20 October) that Brazil team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar will jet into London next month to check in on the 25-year-old ahead of the World Cup squad being named.
Asked whether that was normal practice, Dinnery told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley: “It depends on player status and whether that player is high profile.
“He featured in 14 of Brazil’s 17 qualifying games, so he’s an integral part of that squad.
“If you’re a player that the manager will be heavily reliant upon during the World Cup tournament then you want to make sure that they are in good hands and are in a good place with their availability and fitness ahead of that.
“You will want somebody that you work with and trust implicitly to give their own opinion and insight after seeing it first hand.
“That’s not unusual, clubs will liaise closely with national teams anyway.
“It was maybe just a bit of a fact-finding mission to make sure that nothing has been overseen or missed.
“Initial concerns was that it was a fairly serious setback. Ultimately, further evaluations have shown there is a bit of ligament damage there, maybe an AC joint separation, but nothing too serious.
“We’re probably expecting Paqueta back for West Ham in early November. It’s certainly nothing that will impact his availability for Brazil at this point.”
In other news, an ex-Fifa official has claimed West Ham may be “in trouble” with Uefa as “terrible” footage emerges.