West Ham United are willing to sell Lucas Paquetá this month only if the deal includes a loan back for the rest of the season, a condition Flamengo are resisting. Flamengo’s opening €35m bid was rejected and they may raise it to about €40m, but they believe waiting until summer could secure a cheaper deal.
Paquetá wants to return to Brazil after a difficult spell in England following a spot-fixing investigation that ended last year and derailed a move to Manchester City. West Ham, fighting relegation, fear losing him now could be damaging. Manager Nuno Espírito Santo says the situation must be resolved quickly, as the club weighs short-term survival against long-term finances.
