Paqueta wants to leave West Ham in January

According to The Times, Lucas Paqueta is keen to leave West Ham in January.

It will have come as another heavy blow to the club as they battle through what has been a difficult start to the Premier League campaign. The Hammers have lost seven of the nine matches they’ve played so far, conceding 20 goals, and only Wolves have done worse.

Paqueta is under contract until 2027. He was a subject of strong interest from Manchester City in 2023, when a deal was reportedly agreed between the clubs at around £85million, but then he was charged in relation to betting offences and City pulled out. The charges were later dropped, but City opted against renewing their interest.

Aston Villa had made a good offer for the services of the 28-year-old this summer, but only a few days remained for West Ham to try and sign a replacement, so they decided not to sanction the move. A loan offer from Flamengo was also rejected.