West Ham United respond to Lucas Paqueta offer from Flamengo amid senior source reveal
West Ham United have rejected a loan offer from Flamengo for Lucas Paqueta and are not in negotiations, according to Sean Whetstone.
Writing on his WestHamFootball X account (4 July), the journalist reports that reports of a bid [Fabrizio Romano, 4 July] from the Brazilian club are true but it came months ago and was “firmly rejected”.
He adds that a “senior club source” has revealed that there have been no further talks for a deal and Paqueta is expected to stay at the London Stadium this summer.
West Ham United determined to stand by Lucas Paqueta
With Paqueta facing a lengthy ban for betting charges [[The Sun, 4 June], the club are being forced to consider all of their options ahead of the upcoming season.
However with a hearing not expected for several months at least, there is the opportunity to stick by him, keep him in the starting lineup and squad and show that they are backing him until he is proven guilty.
If the Brazilian was adamant he wanted to move there would be a conversation to be had, but that doesn’t seem to be the case currently and so letting one of their best players leave would be an odd decision.
Julen Lopetegui is likely to be counting on him to help the team tick in his new system, and alongside Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen it’s already been made clear the damage they can do to opposition teams in the Premier League.
If it’s true that the club aren’t interested in letting him go then that should be the end of the matter and everyone should move on now.
In other West Ham news, the club have made a decision on the chase for Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo.
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