West Ham ‘Considering Abandoning’ Transfer Stance On Star | OneFootball

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West Ham United are ‘considering abandoning’ their plan to only sell Lucas Paqueta at the end of the season, amid Flamengo continuing talks to try to obtain a more favourable deal.

Paqueta has made clear to West Ham that he wants to move on this month and a return to Brazil with Flamengo is what he favours.

For the Hammers, letting a key player such as Paqueta go while in the middle of a Premier League relegation battle is a risk and they have been firmly opposed to doing it.

Flamengo however are continuing discussions and, according to Brazilian outlet UOL, West Ham are ‘considering abandoning their conviction’ to only sell Paqueta in the summer.

West Ham have slapped an asking price of €45m on the Brazilian’s head, but Flamengo want to try to negotiate the price down.

Alternatively they want to work out a more flexible schedule of payments to spread the cost of the deal to sign Paqueta.

Flamengo’s president has now been briefed on the status of talks after he took several days off.

Paqueta’s entourage and Flamengo believe that if a financial agreement can be reached with West Ham then the Hammers will let the midfielder go this month, rather than in the summer.

West Ham have just added to their options by landing attacker Keiber Lamadrid, a Venezuela international, initially on loan.

It emerged earlier this week that the Hammers’ swoop for Lamadrid was picking up pace and the attacker was set to be put through a medical.

Losing Paqueta though would create a sizeable hole that West Ham would need to work to fill before the transfer window closes.

West Ham’s troubles have seen a large section of the fans protest against the ownership and call for change.