West Ham have agreed to sell Lucas Paqueta to Flamengo in a £36.5m deal and have allowed the midfielder to travel to Brazil to complete the move. The report said two other Premier League clubs were interested this month, but Paqueta told West Ham earlier in January that he wanted to return to Brazil after three and a half years at the club.
West Ham agree £36.5m Lucas Paqueta sale as midfielder heads to Flamengo
West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta has been given permission to fly to Brazil to complete a £36.5m transfer to Flamengo after the clubs reached an agreement. The move would take Paqueta back to his home country after three and a half years with the Hammers, with the deal described as agreed and the player cleared to travel to finalise it.
Two Premier League clubs also wanted to sign Paqueta during the January window, according to the report. However, his preference was a return to Brazil and he informed West Ham of that wish earlier this month. West Ham’s decision to grant him permission to travel signals the process is moving toward completion.
Paqueta was under contract at West Ham until the summer of 2027, and the club held an option to extend his deal by a further 12 months. The report also noted the midfielder was cleared of spot-fixing charges in July following a two-year investigation, a case that was said to have threatened to end his career.
West Ham’s transfer business continued elsewhere on Wednesday, with the club completing the signing of Adama Traore from Fulham. The move reunites the winger with head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, the report said, as West Ham reshaped their squad alongside Paqueta’s expected departure.
Meanwhile, West Ham midfielder James Ward-Prowse is undergoing a medical ahead of a loan move to Burnley until the end of the season, according to the report. The separate deal was described as a loan through to the campaign’s conclusion, with the medical under way as the switch moved closer.
