Lucas Paqueta breaks silence on West Ham United future | OneFootball

Paqueta’s Loyalty Tested Amid Flamengo Interest

Lucas Paqueta’s summer was shaped by more than transfer speculation, it was shaped by memory, gratitude and a bruising two year ordeal that influenced every decision he made. The West Ham playmaker admitted that he found it difficult to turn down interest from Flamengo, the club that shaped him, yet his sense of loyalty to West Ham carried greater weight after the London side supported him throughout the FA’s spot fixing investigation.

Emotional Toll And Grateful Resolve

Paqueta was cleared by an independent regulatory commission in July after a lengthy process that began in 2023 and placed him on the brink of an £85 million move to Man City. The intervention tore through his plans and his confidence, and he spoke publicly about the strain that enveloped him and his family. His appreciation for West Ham’s backing during that period became a decisive factor in his future.

Flamengo and Aston Villa both explored interest late in the window, however it was the persistent approach from his boyhood club that carried emotional weight. Paqueta explained to Globo how their first contact came when Marcos Braz was still involved. “The first moment (Flamengo tried to sign Paqueta) was when (Marcos) Braz was still at Flamengo, there was that contact,” he said.

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Pull Of Home Versus Duty To West Ham

He admitted that Flamengo’s desire mirrored his own long held affection for the Rio giants. “I know of Flamengo’s desire, and they know of my desire, my passion for the club, so it’s something that always happens,” Paqueta said. The conversation deepened once the investigation gathered pace. “As soon as I was accused, and the whole trial process was about to begin, Braz came to my house, made the offer, and asked what I thought.”

Paqueta acknowledged that his instinct leaned toward a return. “Obviously, I always want to go back to Flamengo, but at that moment I was still a bit undecided about my decision, about what I was going to do.” He then described the moment clarity arrived. “Then I also talked to the West Ham director and said: ‘Braz, I want to go back, I know I’ll feel good at Flamengo, but I can’t be ungrateful to the club that’s supporting me so much.’”

West Ham’s support, according to Paqueta, ran deeper than football. “They supported me a lot at all times, helped me in various situations, so I couldn’t force an exit from a place where I was being welcomed and respected. They respected me, my wife, my family. So I said: ‘I want you to resolve this.’ But yes, this exchange with Flamengo did happen.”

Future Intentions And Acceptance Of Timing

Paqueta also revealed that he had communicated his long term wish to return to Flamengo to his representatives. He confided this desire to Filipe Luis, now coaching at the club. “Maybe I shouldn’t even be saying this, but I had some conversations with Filipe (Luís), who is a friend, in addition to the work he’s doing at Flamengo,” he said. He noted that his market value and his respect for West Ham made any move unrealistic this year.

He accepts that the timing was not right, yet he remains certain the path will eventually open. “So I let it happen, and it really didn’t. I understood that it wasn’t the right time, but I know the doors will always be open for me. I know that at some point this return will happen.”

For now, Paqueta stays committed to West Ham, determined to repay the faith shown in him and fully aware of the personal bonds that kept him in London.