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By SIMON JONES Published: 01: 15 AEDT, 27 January 2026 | Updated: 01: 21 AEDT, 27 January 2026 8 View comments West Ham and Flamengo have verbally agreed a deal for Lucas Paqueta - without the Brazil international being loaned back to the London Stadium for the rest of the season. The clubs are ironing out payment structure on the £36million transfer and the deal will be formalised in writing in the next 24 hours. The 28-year-old has not played for Nuno Espirito Santo's side since a 2-1 defeat by Nottingham Forest in January. He refused to play in the FA Cup clash with QPR that followed that game and has also been nursing a back injury. Paqueta has made it clear he wants to return to Brazil and Flamengo had an opening bid of £30. 3m rejected. They have already agreed personal terms with the attacker. Lucas Paqueta joined West Ham from Lyon in 2022 and has played 124 games for the club West Ham were initially considering sanctioning a deal only if they could have him back on loan for the rest of the season - viewing him as key to their hopes of Premier League survival. But they have gone on to win their last two league games without him - against Tottenham and Sunderland - and are now five points behind Nottingham Forest. Flamengo were also not so keen to loan him back, reasoning that they can wait and buy him more cheaply in the summer, when he would have just 12 months left on his contract. West Ham were also understood to be disappointed by his desire to leave given the support they gave him during the spot-fixing saga. Paqueta was cleared by an independent commission in July 2025 after a probe lasting almost two years.
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