What if we told you that West Ham United could sign Lucas Paqueta’s replacement for just over £5 million, while landing one of the brightest midfield talents in European football at the same time.
Too good to be true, right? Well, perhaps not.
Lucas Paqueta has reportedly agreed terms with Flamengo. Negotiations continue to drag on regarding what feels like an increasingly-imminent departure from West Ham United.
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Alan Nixon was the first to report back in November that West Ham had contacted Barcelona about a deal for Pedro ‘Dro’ Fernandez.
And as Nuno Espirito Santo draws up his pre-Tottenham plans without Paqueta – the Rio-bound playmaker is expected to be absent for Saturday’s 3pm kick-off – Fabrizio Romano would break the news Fernandez’s many admirers have been waiting for.
Fabrizio Romano says West Ham United-linked Dro Fernandez is leaving Barcelona
Taking to X on Friday afternoon, Romano confirmed that the teenager better known as ‘Dro’ has opted to pursue a future away from the newly-renovated Camp Nou.
Now, in order to protect the value of their best young talent, Barcelona have often taken to including one billion release clauses in new contracts. Unfortunately for a cash-strapped club who need every euro they can get, the most they are likely to get for Dro is just £5.1 million.
“Dro will leave Barcelona this month. Decision made by the 18-year-old midfielder with his agent,” Romano says. “The release clause worth 6 million euros will be triggered soon. [Coach] Hansi Flick has also been informed.
“Dro will pick his next club soon. Not in Spain.”
If not in Spain, then where? talkSPORT say that Manchester City, Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund are three of the early – and quite predictable – frontrunners.
But if a desire to secure regular gametime is the main factor behind Dro’s desire to leave Barcelona, then West Ham might just have an ace up their sleeve.
Dro has been likened to Pedri, Thiago Alcantara and Andres Iniesta
There will soon be a Paqueta-shaped hole in Nuno Espirito Santo’s team.
Asking a teenager who only recently turned 18 to step into his shoes would be unfair, perhaps. Irresponsible even. But Dro is no ordinary teenager.
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Dro Fernandez can leave Barcelona for just £5m! 🇪🇸
You do not make four La Liga appearances before your 18th birthday – or provide a Champions League assist, as Dro did against Olympiakos – without possessing the rock-hard mentality and supreme self-confidence to go alongside your La Masia-honed ability.
“Dro was always very special,” Luis Perez, who coached Dro at the Val Minor academy in his native Spain, told Sport in August. “He has a gift for touching the ball and has always been very creative.
“He is very technical and, although his right foot is good, he dominates with his left. ‘Dro’ has a good header, and the best thing is his vision and his offensive actions. Although there are those who compare him to Pedri, I see more of Andres Iniesta in him.”
Javi Roxo, also one of Dro’s former coaches, name-dropped another former Barcelona maestro in a similarly glowing review of the Spain Under-18 international.
“I see him play at Barca, and it’s true that they’ve added details to his game and that he’s grown a lot physically,” said Roxo. “But the essence of his football remains the same. He plays with the same confidence as when he was a child.
“Dro is a talent on Thiago’s level. I have not seen anyone as technical as Thiago [Alcantara], but Dro’s vision of the game is even superior.”
This will not be an easy deal to do.
In addition to Man City, Chelsea and Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich are rumoured to be watching developments like a hawk.
But none of these giants could offer Dro Fernandez the chance to step into Lucas Paqueta’s shoes. For once, an absence of star quality at West Ham could actually work in their favour, presuming Dro’s priority is to play first-team football week-in, week-out at the earliest possible opportunity.
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