West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta has been linked with a move away from the club in January.
according to Daily Mailthe Brazilian midfielder is set to return to his boyhood club Flamengo next month. West Ham are ready to let the player goand there have been rumors that they could use him in a deal to sign Igor Jesus from Botafogo.
It will be interesting to see how the situation evolves.
The midfielder was heavily linked with a move to Manchester City at the start of the season, but the move failed to materialise.
The 27-year-old has done reasonably well for West Ham since joining the club, however he has now been accused of being involved in spot-fixing. Apparently, the midfielder has deliberately collected bookings to influence the betting markets. The player has denied all charges against him and will face a hearing with the Football Association.
La Paqueta will have a hearing to settle a point soon
The midfielder will face a hearing in March and could face a life ban from football if found guilty. It will be interesting to see how the situation evolves.
The fact that he wants to return to Flamengo will not be good news for West Ham. They were hoping to use him as an offset in a deal for Jesus and his decision could spoil their transfer plans. It will be interesting to see if the Hammers can convince the player to join Botafogo.
West Ham need to bring in a quality striker that Jesus could be a useful acquisition for them. They have been toothless in attack this season and signing a quality striker could help them get their season back on track.