Real Madrid superstar urges Lucas Paqueta to quit West Ham for Flamengo

Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr says he has been following the Lucas Paqueta transfer saga very closely, hoping the West Ham star will leave for Flamengo this month.

The Hammers star has made it clear he wants to leave eats London during the January transfer window and sign for the Brazilian giants.

The 28-year-old started his career at Flamengo and made his professional debut for the Rio de Janeiro side in 2016.

He left for AC Milan in 2019, before moving to Lyon and then West Ham in 2022.

Paqueta now wants to return home, and although the Hammers do not want to let him go amid a relegation scrap, negotiations are ongoing between the clubs.

Vinicius Jr, who also came through the ranks at Flamengo and played alongside Paqueta there and continues to do so for Brazil, is very keen for his friend to return to Rio.

Speaking after scoring in Real Madrid’s 6-1 win over Monaco on Tuesday, the 25-year-old forward was asked if he has been affected by the possibility of Paqueta returning to Flamengo.

‘Every day!’ Vinicius told TNT Sports. ‘Every day I ask my managers, who are the same managers as him, I always send him messages too.

‘I wish him happiness. His happiness is mine, and Flamengo’s happiness is ours.

‘Now it’s going to be a complete package. God willing, in the next few days he can finalise this contract and have a great year to help Flamengo, obviously, and us in the Brazilian national team.’

ESPN report the London and Rio clubs are negotiating on price over Paqueta, with West Ham now willing to accept 45m (£39m) for the attacking midfielder.

That is a reduction of around £10m from their initial valuation, but still more than Flamengo’s offer of 35m (£30m).

Paqueta missed the win at Spurs at the weekend, with West Ham saying it was due to a minor injury, but manager Nuno Espirito Santo admitted he was ‘deeply concerned’ about his player’s situation.

‘Of course I am. Deeply. Like I am with all our players,’ he said of his concern over Paqueta’s future. ‘Here is one thing, we must and I think we have, we protect our own. First and foremost. This is what we are trying to do – protect our own and trying to find the best way.

‘The most important thing for the club is clear. Our best players must be available and helpful. I think there’s no doubt about the talent and the quality of Lucas. That’s not in discussion here. It’s just to take the best out of him.

‘Is he is in the right mindset to play for West Ham again? He needs to be. You have to understand that many things happened with Lucas.

‘Many things in the past. This problem that he had. I think the club support him through all these hard moments. First of all, he’s a person. We have to take care of that now. And we are doing it. Let’s wait and see.’

In July 2025 Paqueta was cleared of spot-fixing charges after an investigation which lasted nearly two years.

He was due to make a big-money move to Manchester City in August 2023, but the investigation came to light and the transfer was scrapped.