West Ham United are willing to sell Lucas Paquetá this month only if the deal includes a loan back for the rest of the season, but that condition is meeting resistance from Flamengo. The Brazilian club have had a €35m bid rejected and may raise their offer to around €40m, yet believe they could sign Paquetá more cheaply in the summer without agreeing to a loan.
Paquetá wants to return to Brazil after a difficult spell in England following a spot-fixing investigation that collapsed a proposed move to Manchester City. West Ham, however, fear losing him could deepen their relegation fight, with the club currently seven points adrift of safety.
Manager Nuno Espírito Santo has said the situation must be resolved quickly, stressing Paquetá remains one of the team’s best players as they seek stability and defensive reinforcements.
