Lucas Paquetá completes return to Flamengo | OneFootball

Flamengo have confirmed the permanent signing of Lucas Paquetá from West Ham, with the midfielder returning to Brazil after three and a half years in east London.

The deal is understood to be worth around £36 million, making Paquetá the most expensive signing in Brazilian football history.

The Brazil international has agreed a contract running until December 2030, bringing an end to his spell in the Premier League.

West Ham were keen to retain Paquetá until the end of the season as they fight to avoid relegation, but the player pushed for a move back home with the World Cup approaching and just 18 months remaining on his contract.

Paquetá joined the Hammers from Lyon in August 2022 and went on to make 139 appearances, scoring 23 goals in all competitions. One of his most memorable moments came in June 2023, when he provided the assist for Jarrod Bowen’s winning goal in the Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina, sealing West Ham’s first major trophy in over four decades.