Flamengo have verbally agreed a deal with West Ham to buy Lucas Paquetá, with the fee expected to be between £36m and £40m and a formal offer still awaited. West Ham had wanted the midfielder loaned back for the rest of the season, but Paquetá is keen to return to Brazil immediately. The sale would give West Ham funds to strengthen the squad.
Flamengo agree deal in principle for Paquetá as West Ham await formal offer
Flamengo have verbally agreed a deal with West Ham to buy Lucas Paquetá without having to loan the Brazil international back. The fee is expected to be between £36m and £40m, and West Ham are waiting for a formal offer to be submitted.
West Ham had initially insisted they would sell Paquetá only if he returned for the rest of the season. However, Paquetá is desperate to return to Brazil and Flamengo want him as soon as possible, prompting West Ham to move towards granting the 28-year-old his wish to go home.
Paquetá has become disillusioned with life in England since he was accused of spot-fixing by the Football Association. Although an independent disciplinary commission cleared him of the charges last summer, he has made it clear he wants to leave during this transfer window. He has missed West Ham’s past three games and is nursing a minor back injury.
Nuno Espírito Santo has said he believes Paquetá will play for West Ham again, but figures within the club have concluded a transfer is the best solution. The Hammers are also in talks with Fulham over a deal for Adama Traoré. West Ham are five points below 17th-placed Nottingham Forest.
Selling Paquetá would provide funds to reinforce a squad that has already spent up to £47.5m on strikers Pablo Felipe and Taty Castellanos. Nuno wants to add a goalkeeper, a defender and a midfielder, with a replacement needed for Argentina midfielder Guido Rodríguez, who is joining Valencia after agreeing to terminate his contract by mutual consent.
