Few West Ham fans could be blamed if they were not all that concerned about Lucas Paqueta’s imminent departure.
Indeed, on Wednesday, it was confirmed that Paqueta is set to re-join Flamengo after West Ham United reluctantly agreed to sell him.
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Clearly, the Brazilian is a fine player on his day. Still, West Ham have proven they do not need Paqueta right now, and quite whether he’s the right kind of player for a relegation battle has long been a debate.
It is a shame, however, to see it all end this way.
Flamengo, on the other hand, are so delighted that they are making huge claims.
Flamengo think Lucas Paqueta deal is a historic move
On Wednesday night, Flamengo’s official X account posted a video of Paqueta addressing the club’s supporters.
Accompanying the Brazil international’s video message was a lengthy statement from the club themselves in which they hailed the deal as a “historic move” and a “landmark in the global football market.”
The statement read: “Lucas Paqueta is coming back home. Back to Flamengo.
“A historic move. A landmark in the global football market, on the scale of Flamengo. And this only becomes possible because so many people are walking together.
“Thank you to our sponsors, who invest in Flamengo, believe in the project, and were part of the effort to make this return happen. Thank you to the Fan Members, who strengthen the club every day.
West Ham did all they could but Lucas Paqueta STILL wanted out! 😡
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“And above all, thank you to the Red-and-Black Nation, who pushes, believes, and turns dreams into reality. Paqueta is coming back. The good son returns home. And this moment is yours too.”
While that does seem reasonably hyperbolic to an English audience, it’s important to look at it through a Brazilian perspective.
It’s not too often that clubs in the Brazilian league can tempt players away from the Premier League, such is the financial disparity between the two divisions.
There may be other reasons as to why Paqueta is leaving than purely the money, but it of course would help.
The fact that Flamengo played in the Club World Cup, then, is surely significant. It was a controversial tournament but it may well have helped them fund this move.
Perhaps Paqueta will be only the first Premier League star to move to such leagues…
How much Flamengo are paying West Ham for Lucas Paqueta
It is a huge financial outlay for Flamengo, who have almost doubled their transfer record – which was previously set when they paid around £19million to sign Samuel Lino from Atletico Madrid in July 2025.
The Paqueta deal is a huge one from a Brazilian point of view, there’s little doubt about that.
Flamengo are paying £38million for Paqueta across two instalments, which should bolster West Ham’s bank account nicely.
It now remains to be seen if they can spend any of that money before the close of the January transfer window.
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