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Flamengo chief confirms club close to sealing Paqueta deal

The West Ham star is reportedly keen to head home to Brazil this month

Flamengo are closing in on an agreement with West Ham over the signing of midfielder Lucas Paqueta, according to the Brazilian club’s president Luiz Eduardo Baptista.

The 28-year-old is expected to return to his boyhood club during the current transfer window for a fixed fee of £35.78m, with no performance-related add-ons included in the deal.

While the overall fee has been agreed, discussions are ongoing over the structure of the payments, which remains the final obstacle to completing the transfer.

“What I can say is that we are close,” Baptista said when asked about Paqueta’s potential arrival while attending an event related to the 2027 Women’s World Cup.

“We reached an agreement on several aspects, which I consider the most important. Today, the difference is the payment method we will use.”

Paqueta, who has been a regular starter under West Ham head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, has 18 months remaining on his contract with the Premier League club.

🚨🔴⚫️ Flamengo are set to accelerate negotiations for Lucas Paquetá after €41m bid sent over the weekend.

Director José Boto, on it to agree also on payment terms with West Ham as Fla wants Paquetá to join now, not in June.

Talks continue. 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/AUDWsbtpx9

He is keen to return to Brazil this month and has already agreed personal terms with Flamengo on a contract running until December 2029.

Flamengo supporters are hopeful the move will be finalised in time for Paqueta to be available for Sunday’s Brazilian Super Cup clash with Corinthians. Baptista said efforts are ongoing to resolve the remaining issues.

“I’m focusing all my energy on resolving this payment obstacle,” he said. “If it can be done within the next hour, great. If not, let it be in two or three hours. We’re in contact every hour to adjust one thing or another.

“But I can’t say exactly how long this will take. There’s always the other side, West Ham’s needs.

“But let’s be clear: this is a transaction never before done in South America, and we highly value our word and the commitments we make.”

Paqueta joined West Ham from Lyon in the summer of 2022 and has scored four goals with one assist in 18 Premier League appearances this season.

The Brazil international last featured for the club on January 6 and, with his future unresolved, was left out of the matchday squads for successive victories against Queens Park Rangers, Tottenham and Sunderland.

Topics:

• Clube de Regatas do Flamengo
• Lucas Paqueta
• West Ham United F.C.

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Mitch is a freelance sports journalist with experience working for LiveScore, GOAL and Colchester United. He has experience working from both his desk at home and in the press box at games covering the Champions League and international football.

Mitch is a freelance sports journalist with experience working for LiveScore, GOAL and Colchester United. He has experience working from both his desk at home and in the press box at games covering the Champions League and international football.

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