Lucas Paquetá asked not to play for West Ham in FA Cup and wants to join Flamengo

Lucas Paquetá asked to be left out of West Ham’s FA Cup tie against QPR and is keen to join Flamengo this month.

The midfielder has grown disillusioned with life in England and wants to return to Brazil. Flamengo are willing to pay €40m (£34.7m) for Paquetá, who was last year cleared of alleged breaches of the Football Association’s betting regulations, and it is unclear whether the Brazilian will play for West Ham again. The uncertainty over his future increased when he missed the third-round win over QPR despite being fit.

West Ham are aware of the 28-year-old’s unhappiness but wary of selling him before the end of the season. Nuno Espírito Santo’s side are 18th in the Premier League before visiting Tottenham on Saturday and regard Paquetá as a key asset in their fight against relegation.

A source close to Paquetá said there was no chance the Brazil international would be at the London Stadium next season. The former Lyon midfielder, who joined West Ham for £51m in August 2022, began his career at Flamengo and hopes to return before this summer’s World Cup. The Brazilian Série A club are likely to test West Ham’s resolve this month. Links with Tottenham have been played down by the player’s camp.

It remains to be seen whether West Ham have a change of heart and decide there is little upside to forcing Paquetá to stay. Paquetá’s form has dipped since the FA’s investigation into spot-fixing allegations came to light in 2023. The episode cost the playmaker a move to Manchester City and is one of the reasons why he does not want to stay in England.

West Ham are disappointed with Paquetá’s determination to leave given that they supported him during the investigation. However, the player has struggled to contain his emotions and boiled over during a 2-0 defeat by Liverpool in November. Paquetá picked up a ludicrous red card when he received two bookings in quick succession for dissent. He later accused the FA of not providing him psychological support.

A consideration for West Ham is whether they can reinvest a fee for Paquetá in their unbalanced squad this month. Resisting Aston Villa’s attempts to sign him last summer has not paid off. Paquetá has four goals and one assist in 18 league appearances this season and has grown weary of West Ham’s struggles.

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