Lucas Paqueta nears West Ham exit as Premier League club issues statement

Lucas Paqueta is poised to depart West Ham, with the club confirming he has been granted permission to undergo a medical and discuss personal terms with Brazilian side Flamengo.

A fee understood to be around £35m has been agreed for the permanent transfer, signalling the end of the midfielder’s turbulent spell in east London.

The 28-year-old Brazil international had made it clear he was determined to leave, expressing a desire to return to his homeland for personal and family reasons and to make a fresh start.

This decision follows a lengthy Football Association investigation into alleged breaches of gambling rules, which concluded with his clearance in July 2025. The club noted that the two-year ordeal caused him "significant mental strain."

West Ham had initially hoped to retain Paqueta until the end of the season to bolster their efforts in avoiding relegation from the Premier League.

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However, his unwavering wish to leave ultimately led the club to reluctantly accept his transfer request.

In a statement, West Ham United confirmed the agreement, stating: "Lucas has made it clear that, for personal and family reasons, he wishes to return home to Brazil and make a fresh start after being cleared in July 2025 of FA misconduct charges that took two years to be resolved – a situation that caused him significant mental strain."

The club added that despite doing "everything possible to persuade Lucas to stay” he remained "adamant that his wish is to leave”, leading to the head coach and club "reluctantly" agreeing to the transfer.

They also extended thanks to management, players, staff, and supporters for their "unwavering and devoted support" throughout his time at the club.

The Brazilian midfielder has made 139 appearances for West Ham across all competitions since joining the club in 2022, scoring 23 goals during this period.