Lucas Paqueta is a transfer target for his former club Flamengo but West Ham have a difficult decision to make this month as Nuno Espirito Santo’s side battle relegation
West Ham will resist selling Lucas Paqueta this month, despite the Brazil star seeking to return to his old club Flamengo.
Nuno Espirito Santo claimed the midfielder was “not ready to play” in the FA Cup tie with QPR on Sunday. Paqueta requested not to play as he is carrying an injury.
But the £51million star is at the centre of a transfer tug-of-warm with Paqueta looking to leave for personal and professional reasons while the Hammers need him for their relegation battle. Brazilian champions Flamengo are ready to pay €40m (£34.7m) for the 28-year-old, who is out of contract at the end of next season.
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West Ham would be losing one of their best players – and his sale would infuriate an already unhappy fan base – but could reinvest the money to strengthen their squad this January.
And refusing to sell would displease Paqueta, who revealed that he had needed “psychological support” after his transfer to Manchester City collapsed at the last minute when he was charged with spot fixing in 2023. He was eventually cleared in July last year and Aston Villa tried to sign him.
In an interview with Brazilian TV station GE in November, Paqueta also revealed that he had spoken to Flamengo about returning to the club in the last two summers. “I understood that it wasn’t the right time, but I know the doors will always be open for me,” he said. “I know that at some point this return will happen.”
In August, he scored a penalty against Nottingham Forest and mimed throwing a phone away and kissed the badge in a bid to end transfer speculation. But after he was sent off for two red cards for dissent against Liverpool in November, he accused the FA of not providing him with enough support.
Paqueta has never reproduced the form of his first season in English football but has scored five times in all competitions this season to be second top scorer behind Jarrod Bowen.
The Brazil star is understood to be disillusioned with life in London and wants to return home to press his claims to be included in Carlo Ancelotti’s World Cup squad.
West Ham sit 18th in the Premier League and seven points away from safety and face a London derby at Tottenham on Saturday. New £26m striker Taty Castellanos scored his first Hammers goal in the 2-1 win over QPR.
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