West Ham United are willing to sell Lucas Paquetá this month only if he is loaned back for the rest of the season, but that condition is being resisted by Flamengo. The Brazilian club saw an initial €35m bid rejected and may raise it to €40m, yet believe they can wait and buy him more cheaply in the summer.
Paquetá wants to return to Brazil after a difficult spell in England following a spot-fixing investigation that ended last year but derailed a move to Manchester City. West Ham, seven points above the relegation zone, fear losing him now could damage their survival hopes. Manager Nuno Espírito Santo has admitted the situation must be resolved quickly, with Paquetá also a doubt for Saturday’s match against Tottenham Hotspur.
