West Ham: Karren Brady makes Lucas Paqueta transfer vow after bruising start to season | OneFootball

The midfielder’s future has been resolved

West Ham vice-chair Karren Brady is adamant that Lucas Paqueta will stay at the club this season.

However, Brady was clear that, having stood by the Brazilian midfielder during a two-year investigation, which carried the threat of a lifetime ban from football, the club were confident of keeping Paqueta.

“I think he wants to stay and we definitely want him to stay. So the thing is, he'll be staying,” Brady told talkSPORT.

“It's been a really tough time for Lucas. It's such a serious allegation and it was really hanging over him and the FA were going for a worldwide lifetime ban. So the seriousness of the situation was incredible,” she added, detailing the toll the investigation had taken on Paqueta.

“He was, from day one when the accusation was made, absolutely resolute in the fact that he had nothing to do with this.

“There was no evidence that he had anything to do with it. So it came as a real relief. But we always took the view that we completely believed in him.”

Paqueta started as West Ham fell to a 3-0 defeat to Sunderland in their opening game of the Premier League season.

A desperate performance has increased calls for West Ham to add to their squad before the window closes, and Brady admitted the club were looking to add more pace in midfield.

She continued: “I think that anyone would know that. The answer to that question is yes. And that's what we're working hard on doing.”

West Ham have struggled to spend as freely as they did last summer, but have brought in six new signings, with goalkeeper Mads Hermansen and left wing-back El Hadji Malick Diouf starting against Sunderland on Saturday.