West Ham United play-maker Lucas Paqueta clearly faces a very uncertain future at the London Stadium.
Not only is he still at risk of being banned from football for life because of his alleged involvement in a betting scam, but he’s at the centre of numerous transfer rumours as well.
Lucas Paqueta joined West Ham from Lyon in the summer of 2022.
Signed for an initial £36.5 million plus a potential £14.4 million in add-ons (BBC), Paqueta has thrilled the Hammers fans consistently, but he has frustrated at times as well.
The Brazilian is clearly an exceptional footballer, but he has problems right now, there’s no denying that.
It emerged last summer that he was being investigated for his role in potential betting breaches, and he has now been charged for those alleged offences.
Paqueta is currently out in Brazil and Hammers director of football Tim Steidten has flown out there to gauge where he’s at right now.
With the 26-year-old not due to return to pre-season training with West Ham for around another week or so, his situation remains very up in the air.
Will he still be a Hammer at the start of next season? Or will he leave for pastures new?
West Ham star Lucas Paqueta holds meeting with mega-rich club
So the former Lyon man’s name has cropped up numerous times in reports concerning potential summer exits from the London Stadium.
Brazilian side Flamengo are said to be ‘determined to sign Paqueta immediately’, but they quite clearly will not be able to afford him.
The West Ham owners may well want to cut their losses on the 26-year-old, but I still expect them to demand at least £30 million for him this summer.
There is a club out there who definitely could afford that kind of money, and a big update has just come to light regarding their interest in signing Paqueta.
According to a report from Rudy Galetti, Saudi club Al-Nassr have actually just held a meeting with Paqueta about a summer transfer.
Now, if that is true, it would mean that the Hammers have accepted a fee for the South American from the Saudi club.
I have to dispute that because nothing has been reported confirming anything remotely resembling West Ham accepting an official offer for Lucas Paqueta.
I’m choosing to take this one with a pinch of salt.
However, that’s not to say that I wouldn’t be shocked if Paqueta did end up leaving the London Stadium this summer.
If the correct offer is made, I believe West Ham will be keen to cash in on him.
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