West Ham’s Brave Plea to Keep Paquetá Falls Short as Flamengo Seals Record Move

West Ham's Bid to Keep Paquetá Falls Short as Flamengo Seal Record Move

West Ham United confirmed on Wednesday that Lucas Paquetá has joined Flamengo in a club‑record transfer for South American football.

The deal is valued at about 50.17 million dollars, according to Brazilian reports.

In an official statement, West Ham said Paquetá had received permission to undergo a medical and discuss personal terms with Flamengo after agreeing on a permanent transfer fee.

Officials added that, for personal and family reasons, Paquetá wished to return to Brazil and start a new life after being cleared in July 2025 of misconduct allegations raised by the English FA, which had lasted two years and caused him significant mental strain.

West Ham noted they did their utmost to persuade him to stay, but he remained determined to leave, and the club and manager reluctantly accepted his request to move.

Finally, the club thanked its board, players, staff and loyal fans for their unwavering support of Lucas during his time at the club, especially over the past two and a half years.

Punchline 1: If Paquetá was chasing a Brazilian dream, Flamengo just handed him a plane ticket with lots of legroom.

Punchline 2: West Ham’s transfer policy—keep the headlines, ship the players; sometimes the opposite of a perfect storm ends up being a perfect transfer.