West Ham plan to ‘accept’ £40m Lucas Paqueta offer, ‘he’s pushing to leave’
West Ham are planning to accept an offer worth around £40million for Lucas Paqueta with the player pushing for a move back to his native Brazil.
Flamengo are believed to be closing in on a deal to re-sign the 28-year-old who has been unhappy with the way the season has gone at the London Stadium.
Reports claim a deal has been verbally agreed between West Ham and Flamengo, with the paperwork set to be completed and a deal finalised before the window ends.
Former West Ham scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that the Hammers were prepared to cut their losses given Paqueta‘s desire to move on.
The fee will represent a reduction on the reported £80million fee agreed to sell him to Man City in 2023, after the East London club reduced his asking price.
Lucas Paqueta closing in on West Ham exit
Brown first told Football Insider in December that West Ham are considering Paqueta’s future after his sending off during their defeat to Liverpool.
Flamengo quickly emerged as the leading candidate for his signature, despite prior interest from Aston Villa and Man City, and he is not set for a return to Brazil.
“Paqueta wants to leave West Ham in January,” Brown told Football Insider.
“There was a £35million offer which I believe was rejected initially, but they know they’re not going to get that £80million offer from Man City again.
“But they’ve got a player that doesn’t want to be there and one that they would be ready to let go even though he is a big player there.
“From what I’m told, it’ll be a fee closer to £40million which they will be prepared to accept.
“Flamengo have come in for him, he wants to move back to Brazil to get away from the Premier League and everything that’s happened over here.
“At the end of the day, West Ham just have to bite the bullet because the situation isn’t going to get any better and they’re going to cash in on him.”
West Ham dealt another blow after Brooke Norton-Cuffy news
Paqueta’s exit is not the only blow West Ham have been dealt in the transfer market as they also look set to miss out on one of their transfer targets.
Football Insider revealed on 23 January that West Ham are interested in Brooke Norton-Cuffy, but the Genoa defender is likely to turn down the move.
The England Under-21 international has reservations about joining a club in a relegation battle and will assess other options should formal offers arrive.
The likes of Everton and Newcastle have also been credited with an interest in the 22-year-old, whose performances in Serie A have impressed watching scouts.
Norton-Cuffy enjoyed loan spells at Lincoln, Rotherham, Coventry and Millwall before opting to move to Italy, but could already be tempted back to the Premier League.
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