West Ham are worried they won’t be able to sell Lucas Paqueta early in the summer window to help raise funds for signings.
The Hammers are making it abundantly clear that money is a major issue this summer.
West Ham have declared they are at their PSR limit ahead of a crucial rebuild under Graham Potter this summer.
It means West Ham must sell players to fund signings.
Fortunately for the Hammers, plenty of players have volunteered to be sacrificial lambs with their woeful performances over the last season and a half.
West Ham must sell before buying for Potter
West Ham have stated Jarrod Bowen isn’t for sale.
There are only another three or four players the Hammers would not consider selling unless in receipt of ridiculous bids.
Those being Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Max Kilman, Crysencio Summerville and possibly Jean-Clair Todibo.
Potter’s patience has already worn thin with West Ham’s players after an inauspicious first three months in the job.
The Englishman has told his stars to shape up or they’ll be replaced in his rebuild.
Potter already has a list of at least 11 players who can leave the London Stadium this summer.
Mohammed Kudus and Lucas Paqueta are the two players West Ham are banking on bringing in the bulk of the cash for a much-needed revamp.
Kudus has made the club’s task of selling him for a big profit extremely difficult with his dreadful form.
The Ghana star has just three goals and two assists all season after contributing a combined 20 in his scintillating debut campaign.
As reported for some time by Hammers News now, Paqueta will be sold if he is cleared in the spot-fixing case against him.
While Man City look to have moved on from the 27-year-old, there is concrete interest from his boyhood club Flamengo as well as Botafogo in Brazil.
Paqueta saga now threatens to spill into West Ham’s pre-season
Hammers News exclusively revealed before any other outlet last weekend that Paqueta’s FA trial has been adjourned until June.
The FA are pushing for a lifetime ban for West Ham’s Brazilian magnifico – who has been anything but for much of the last 16 months.
But the Paqueta saga now threatens to spill into West Ham’s pre-season after the latest astonishing revelation.
West Ham’s owners warned of transfer civil war when Premier League clubs met recently to discuss closing this summer’s transfer window three weeks earlier than normal – before the start of next season.
The Hammers were relieved when those plans were voted down and it was announced this summer’s transfer window would actually be even longer than normal.
In a special measure as a result the Club World Cup, FIFA announced the transfer window for international deals – which doesn’t usually open until July – would open from June 1st for 10 days.
It is to allow teams competing at the Club World Cup to sign players ahead of the controversial tournament.
But FIFA had to open it to all clubs in the interests of fairness.
The window will then close for a week – officially at least – before re-opening on June 16th all the way through to September.
It not only means West Ham have more time to sort Potter’s rebuild. But more importantly given the PSR situation, they can start the ball rolling on some much-needed sales as soon as June comes around.
Except there is yet another problem in the seemingly never-ending Paqueta soap opera.
Paqueta yet to even give evidence or be cross-examined
The FA trial overran the three weeks that were set aside.
And City AM’s Matt Hughes claims Paqueta – unbelievably – has not even given evidence or been cross-examined himself yet in the process.
It means that when the trial resumes, Paqueta’s side of the story could take up just as much time, spilling into July – the start of pre-season for the 2025/26 campaign.
West Ham were hoping the case would have been settled in Paqueta’s favour by then. Not least so they can raise around £20m by selling the player.
Instead Potter’s pre-season plans and money for signings will be impacted by the sorry saga continuing well into the transfer window.
If, in a worst case scenario, the case does drag on anywhere near the summer window deadline, West Ham may be forced to agree a loan deal with any potential suitors whereby clauses are inserted to make it an obligation to buy at a set price if Paqueta is cleared.
If the case remains unresolved by then, the Hammers may have to offer a discounted buy option for if and when he is cleared.
Or make it so any loan with obligation based on being found not guilty has no initial fee attached, thereby lessening the risk being taken by the club bringing Paqueta in.
Failing that Potter may have to accept limitations as to what he can spend or make up the difference with alternative sales.
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