Flamengo has approached West Ham United to secure a loan deal for Brazilian midfielder Lucas Paquetá. Negotiations are currently ongoing between the two clubs, with Flamengo expressing strong interest in bringing Paquetá back to Brazil. According to Fabrizio Romano, Flamengo plans to push hard for this deal in the coming days.
🚨🔴⚫️ Flamengo have approached West Ham to sign Lucas Paquetá on loan. Negotiations are ongoing on clubs' side.
Player's camp also been informed of Flamengo desire to sign Paquetá, as @venecasagrande reported.
Flamengo plan to insist on this deal in the next days. pic.twitter.com/8fByRR52aA
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 3, 2024
The news of Flamengo’s approach comes amidst serious allegations against Paquetá. The English Football Association (FA) is reportedly seeking a lifetime ban for Paquetá from football due to his involvement in an alleged betting scam. Details have emerged indicating that around 60 individuals placed bets on Paquetá to receive a yellow card in various matches, with stakes ranging from £7 to £400. These bets reportedly led to combined winnings of approximately £100,000. Paquetá has been charged with alleged breaches of rules E5 and F3, accused of deliberately getting booked. Despite these accusations, Paquetá has consistently maintained his innocence.
Currently, Paquetá is representing Brazil at the Copa America. He has participated in all three of Brazil’s group stage matches, helping Selecao to qualify for the knockout rounds. The 26 year old midfielder missed a penalty in the match against Paraguay but corrected himself and managed to score from the penalty spot at a later stage of the game. Brazil is set to face Uruguay in the quarter-finals on Saturday, where Paquetá is expected to play a key role.