There is huge Lucas Paqueta relief for West Ham after Eddie Howe’s response on Newcastle transfer business amid new rumours.
When West Ham signed Lucas Paqueta last summer, Premier League rivals Newcastle United were also being heavily linked.
It was not just a passing interest from Newcastle in the Brazil star, though. And the interest went both ways.
As far as ‘come and get me’ pleas go, Paqueta’s to Newcastle last year was pretty blatant.
It was not so much a fluttering of the eyelids in Eddie Howe’s direction but more full on twerking. And fans of West Ham and Newcastle know Paqueta can certainly dance.
In the end, though, the Brazil midfielder signed for West Ham in a record £51m move, much to the excitement of Hammers fans.
West Ham worry over Paqueta links after agent switch
Last season Howe admitted that he wanted to sign Paqueta last summer but conceded the deal proved beyond Newcastle, who needed their funds to sign striker Alexander Isak.
Chronicle Live claims Paqueta and his agent were open to a move to Newcastle when it became obvious his time at Lyon – where he played alongside best friend Bruno Guimaraes – was coming to an end.
With that as background – and with Newcastle now in the Champions League – West Ham fans were perturbed when shock rumours of a £70m bid from the Magpies for their Brazilian magnifico emerged last month.
Especially as it came at the same time Paqueta suddenly changed agents, leaving the representatives who brokered his move to West Ham.
Huge Lucas Paqueta relief for West Ham after Eddie Howe’s response on transfer business amid fresh Newcastle rumours
At the time it was claimed ‘there are worries Paqueta may be looking for a West Ham exit’ with his actions.
It is fair to say the scintillating form of Lucas Paqueta in the last few months of the season softened the blow of the prospect of life without Declan Rice at West Ham.
So fans were worried again yesterday when a reporter close to Hammers majority owner David Sullivan made a new claim about that Paqueta is firmly on Newcastle’s radar this summer.
“We learned tonight that Eddie Howe has been discussing the possibility of taking him to St James’ with a variety of agents,” Claret and Hugh report.
But there’s huge Paqueta relief for West Ham after Howe’s response on transfer business amid fresh Newcastle rumours.
‘We don’t have a huge budget to work with… it’s difficult and frustrating’
Speaking on Saturday evening, Howe was asked about his transfer activity and making more signings following the £55m arrival of Sandro Tonali from AC Milan.
And he admitted he is being massively hampered by a ‘very strict’ budget due to FFP regulations – all but ruling out any chance of a move for West Ham’s £80m-rated Paqueta.
“Players are expensive these days. We’re working within FFP guidelines, which is very difficult for us,” Howe told reporters as quoted by The Daily Mail.
“We might need to be creative, but we’re trying to look at every avenue we can to make the club stronger.
“We have a very strict budget that we’re trying to work within. Always with FFP, there are certain things you can be creative on, but we don’t have a huge budget to work with. At times there have been frustrations and difficult days. We know the challenges that we face. Through the summer I’ve been through all the emotions.”
Howe’s comments come after Paqueta dropped a big hint over his West Ham future earlier this week.
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