Sports
Lucas Paqueta Hits Back as West Ham ‘Reluctantly’ Confirm Exit
West Ham United and Lucas Paqueta don’t appear to be parting on amicable terms as both the club and player have released scathing statements. A £36.5 million deal has been reached for the Brazilian to join Flamengo.
The Hammers are in the middle of a relegation battle at the bottom of the Premier League, but are now losing one of their star men, and the club’s words in the aftermath suggest their hands were forced.
The midfielder had become unsettled in England after being involved in a two-year-long investigation for gambling offences. Now he’s secured a return to his homeland, but not all parties are satisfied.
West Ham Did ‘Everything Possible’ to Keep Paqueta
As the club confirmed they had sanctioned the sale of the 28-year-old, they appeared not to thank the player himself in their strong statement. Instead, the east Londoners claimed they did ‘everything possible’ to stop a transfer from happening.
West Ham claim they wanted to keep hold of the £150,000-per-week star, but Paqueta was ‘adamant’ he wanted to leave. The eye-opening statement read:
“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.
“Despite the club doing everything possible to persuade Lucas to stay, he has remained adamant that his wish is to leave. Therefore, the Head Coach and the club have reluctantly agreed to accept his transfer request.
“West Ham United would like to take this opportunity to thank our management, players, staff and loyal supporters for the unwavering and devoted support they have shown to Lucas throughout his time at the club and, in particular, over the past two and a half years.
The club will make no further comment at this time.”
Paqueta Takes Aim at the Hammers
Contrastingly, the Brazil international claimed, in a farewell video posted to his Instagram account, that he ‘never asked to leave’. He did confirm he wanted to go home, however. Paqueta stated:
“I refused offers from rival teams to stay in Europe. I never asked to leave. I did ask to return home, and I hope someday you’ll understand that nothing is more comforting than going back home. I need this for my mental health, my wife, and my children. I need to find joy in football again, and regain my peace.
I realised that here I’d still need to fight battles that aren’t mine anymore. It was never about the club’s current situation. When I arrived, we faced similar challenges, but ultimately won a title that will forever be a part of history.”
