As a West Ham fan, this one hurt but it also feels necessary.
West Ham have finally agreed to sell Lucas Paquetá to Flamengo for €42m (£36.7m). Paquetá wanted out, badly. After everything he’s been through in England, you could see his heart wasn’t here anymore.
The spot-fixing saga, the missed Manchester City move, the mental toll it all added up. West Ham stood by him, but you can’t force a player to stay when his head is gone.
Let’s be honest: Paquetá was pure class on his day. That assist in the UEFA Europa Conference League final will live forever. But consistency was always the problem. This season showed it again. Talent alone doesn’t win relegation battles.
On the other side, West Ham United have moved quickly. Adama Traoré is in from Fulham, and love him or hate him, he brings pace, power, and chaos exactly what we need right now. Nuno Espírito Santo trusts him, and that matters.
Meanwhile, James Ward-Prowse looks set to join Burnley on loan. Sad situation, really. A top pro, frozen out again under Nuno, but hopefully he helps Burnley survive.
This isn’t about glamour anymore. It’s about survival. Clearing unhappy players, backing the manager, and fighting for every point. If Traoré gives us energy, width, and belief then this window might just save our season.
Come on you Irons.
