Lucas Paqueta reports to Rush Green after West Ham transfer demand as Tottenham latest revealed
The transfer saga involving Lucas Paqueta continues to rumble on.
West Ham rejected Flamengo’s £30.3million bid for Paqueta on Monday, although the Brazilian side are set to go back in for him.
Flamengo are expected to launch an improved bid of £39m, and Paqueta has made it clear that he wants to move back to his homeland.
West Ham are embroiled in a relegation battle, and they are hoping to have their star midfielder available for their trip to Tottenham on Saturday.
The Hammers can’t afford to lose such a key player as they sit seven points adrift from safety, and luckily for Nuno Espirito Santo, Paqueta has returned to first-team training.
Lucas Paqueta could potentially play in Tottenham vs West Ham
If Paqueta were to leave West Ham, then fans would certainly be furious that he has left at a time when they are in desperate need of loyalty and commitment from their players.
Tottenham and Aston Villa are also linked with a move for Paqueta, although he has made it clear that his preference is Flamengo.
Journalist Jacob Steinberg reported via X on Wednesday that the midfielder reported to Rush Green for training.
His camp hasn’t ruled out the possibility of him playing in the upcoming match against Tottenham, although they are insistent that the 28-year-old wants to move back to Brazil in January.
It had also been reported that Paqueta has agreed on personal terms with Flamengo, even though Nuno wants to do whatever it takes to keep him at the club.
However, the Brazilian side are insistent on getting the deal done this month, and it looks increasingly likely that he won’t be a West Ham player by 2 February.
It will certainly be interesting to see how the away fans react to Paqueta if he does feature at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The most likely outcome is that supporters will boo him for wanting to jump ship, and Nuno may have to accept that the Brazilian shouldn’t play in a West Ham shirt again.
Nuno Espirito Santo has simple Paqueta call to make vs Tottenham
The transfer saga has produced unwanted media attention and caused unnecessary pressure on Nuno at a time when he needs to establish a strong bond with his players.
Having someone whose future is uncertain can become incredibly distracting for the rest of the squad.
If the Brazilian is left out of the squad, then it more or less confirms that Flamengo will sign him before the deadline on 2 February.
| Date | Result |
| 13 September 2025 | 3-0 L |
| 4 May 2025 | 1-1 D |
| 19 October 2024 | 4-1 L |
| 2 April 2024 | 1-1 D |
| 7 December 2023 | 2-1 W |
The Hammers lost 3-0 to Spurs at the London Stadium earlier in the season, and although Thomas Frank’s side have struggled ever since that result, Nuno has to get his team riled up for the game.
West Ham have only won once on their travels all campaign, and victory in a London Derby would give them the perfect platform to mount a good run of form.
Perhaps leaving Paqueta out of the team, someone who is unfocused and uninterested in helping the Hammers avoid relegation, could help the players perform better against a weak Spurs side.
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