Tottenham are reportedly entering the race to sign West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta, even though he’s already said yes to a return to Flamengo.
The Brazilian looks set to be made available by West Ham as they seek funds to balance the books, and it seems he could be set to return to his first club.
Paqueta was at Flamengo as a youngster before moving to AC Milan and later to Lyon before winding up at West Ham.
It now looks like Paqueta has given his green light to move back to Flamengo, but Spurs are also keen on a potential deal, according to a report from Torcida Flamengo.
What next for Lucas Paqueta as West Ham exit looms?
It seems increasingly likely that Paqueta will be leaving the London Stadium this January, but it’s not yet clear where he could end up.
One imagines West Ham won’t be keen on selling Paqueta to a rival like Tottenham, though of course the two clubs did do business in the summer as Mohammed Kudus made the move from east to north London.
Paqueta could be another smart signing for Spurs, even if the 28-year-old hasn’t exactly been at his best in recent times.
When he is on form, Paqueta has shown that he can be a top class performer in the Premier League, and perhaps Thomas Frank will feel he can help revive the player and get him up to those levels again.
Should struggling West Ham let Paqueta go?
It seems slightly risky for the Hammers to be considering letting Paqueta go when they’re clearly in a relegation battle, however, so fans will hope the club have something lined up to replace him.
Paqueta hasn’t been that consistent in recent times, so perhaps WHUFC can do better, but their recent record in the transfer market isn’t the best.