West Ham United urged to sell Lucas Paqueta as transfer update emerges
Frank McAvennie has urged West Ham to sell Lucas Paqueta rather than find a loan deal if he is to leave the club this summer.
News has gone silent since The FA charged the Brazilian with alleged betting breaches, though many have suggested that if he is to be found guilty, Paqueta could be banned for life [The Sun].
With these charges hanging over the player’s head, the 26-year-old has now been linked with a move back to Brazil this summer, with Flamengo interested in signing him on loan [Fabrizio Romano].
Speaking exclusively to West Ham Zone, McAvennie said: “If he’s going to leave, they’ve got to sell him. They can’t loan him because then they’ll still be losing money. If he gets banned, he would still be a West Ham player in that case.
“I would keep him and risk the ban, based on the fact that he’s a good player. Can they replace him? It’ll cost a lot of money. I would love to keep Kudus, Paqueta and Bowen as the front three – they can win us back European football next year.”
West Ham United urged to avoid Lucas Paqueta loan spell
The club are caught in an extremely difficult position with Paqueta currently, with his future up in the air and no signs of any clarity being provided anytime soon.
Of course, the Brazilian’s talent and flair on the pitch would be almost impossible to replace, unless a lot of money is to be spent, but the Hammers may not be able to afford that risk.
If Paqueta is eventually banned, West Ham would be unable to field one of their most important stars and lose any chance of recouping the initial £36.5million fee paid for him in 2019 [BBC Sport].
Julen Lopetegui will still have the likes of Bowen and Kudus at his disposal, though the absence of Paqueta would be an incredible blow for the Hammers.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers have learned their fate in the Jhon Duran transfer race as a Chelsea update emerges.
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