West Ham ‘lost a lot of money’ after finalising Lucas Paqueta deal
West Ham have been forced to sell Lucas Paqueta after the midfielder made it clear he wanted to return to Flamengo.
Paqueta was cleared of his spot-fixing charges last July after an independent regulatory commission found them to be “not proven” following a hearing earlier in the year.
The Brazil international admitted the case has taken its toll on him, leading to him asking West Ham to approve a move to Flamengo.
West Ham sold Paqueta to Flamengo last week, with the deal worth around £36million.
The 28-year-old came through the ranks with the Brazilian side, where he made 95 appearances before joining AC Milan in 2019.
Why West Ham suffered financial blow after Lucas Paqueta sale
Former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson exclusively told Football Insider West Ham have “lost a lot of money” on Paqueta after he previously missed out on joining Pep Guardiola’s side.
Paqueta was close to sealing a move to Man City for £80m in the summer of 2023, but the deal collapsed after news emerged of the FA’s investigation.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Borson said: “I think it’s just a mess, isn’t it? I mean, he gets found not guilty, but the reality is they lost a lot of money on the player based on the charge.
“He’s been found not guilty, so you have to accept the judgement of the FA. They made very big allegations and they failed to make them out. Therefore, he didn’t do it.
“But clearly, he was going to go for £80m, so it’s not that complicated. There’s been a huge loss. Obviously, it’s two years on. They’ve had the use of the player for two years, but it’s been under a cloud. How much has that affected his performances?”
How West Ham have made a profit on Paqueta deal
Borson revealed West Ham likely made a small profit on Paqueta after signing him from Lyon in a deal worth an initial £36.5m and up to £14.4m in add-ons in the summer of 2023.
“I think at the end of the day, to actually end up with around £35m, it’s probably slightly above his book value because they actually paid a lot of money for him from Lyon,” said Borson.
“I mean, they paid a surprising amount, something like £50m for him, so they probably made a small profit versus his book value. I think it’s an okay deal.”
Paqueta missed a huge chance on his second debut for Flamengo as they lost 2-0 to Corinthians on Sunday (1 February).
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