Sometimes the best outcomes in football happen purely by accident, and this may well be the case with Lucas Paqueta.
News broke earlier this morning that any hope Flamengo had of signing Paqueta is now dead in the water. Nobody can blame the Brazilian club for chancing their arm, as they were being opportunistic and trying to take advantage of a bad situation for West Ham with their pursuit of the Paq-Man.
Flamengo saw an opportunity to acquire a top-level player for a low-level fee due to Paqueta’s ongoing FA investigation for betting irregularities. Who can blame them?
Unfortunately for the club, which sits atop the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, they don’t have any transfer funds; in essence, they are skint. Therefore, once the Hammers’ hierarchy had removed any chance of Flamengo signing the Hammers’ playmaker on loan, they were out of the running.
However, every cloud has a silver lining, and in this instance, new Hammers coach Julen Lopetegui can begin to plan with Paqueta in mind. Of course, that silver-lined cloud is accompanied by a slightly darker companion in the form of the FA charges. But I have little doubt that West Ham’s Brazilian magnifico will be perfectly suited for J-Lo’s new possession-based style.
Of course, there remains an element of risk that if Paqueta is found guilty, West Ham will lose a valuable asset without the means to replace him in a transfer window. Therefore, the Irons’ head coach would be wise to have a contingency plan, but I can’t help but feel that Flamengo’s exit from the transfer race gives the situation some resolution and clarity.
A general observation.
I really don’t know why we fans talk and argue about the financial aspects of West Ham United transfers when firstly, it’s none of our business. and secondly, there’s nothing any of us can do about it!!
In the most recent past it’s fair to say that (allegedly) David Sullivan has made a complete mess in purchasing expensive players and then moving them on at a massive loss a relative short while later. The transfers in and out of notably Haller, Anderson, Vlasic, Scamacca and arguably Fornals as well, immediately spring to mind.
From an on the field perspective, I’m positive that Tim and Julen can bring in players that can provide what West Ham need to make an authentic challenge to those clubs that regularly qualify for the Champions League. It may or may not happen this coming season, but I’m sure we’ll see improvements with or without Paqueta.
Flamengo can’t be skint. They’re Brazils richest and most valuable club. Their revenue is 218M Euros and they are valued at 691M Euros.
They’re slightly bigger than Everton at 198M Euros.
They’re bigger than they’re given credit for here.
The FA created a mess and do not seem to be in any rush to clear it up…why charge someone only for it to drag on wait until all the so called evidence has been collated and corroborated before laying charges but trial by media is no good for anyone and guilty or innocent it is unfair for the man to be under a cloud of suspicion for so long.
When you look at last nights was it or was it not a penalty for England the views were differing right across the board from the man in the pub the ex pro cum pundit so how on earth do the FA expect people to come up with was it a dive to get a yellow a deliberate foul etc……this needs to be done and dusted with but i suspect the FA will not do anything until after the window has closed thus punishing club and player if they decide to find him guilty.
As a player he can be sublime to watch and infuriating to with his antics but i hope to see him wearing the C&B next season and not the sky blue of Citeh.
Just on the debate whether or not it was a penalty remember British teams playing in Europe for decades have always been at a disadvantage because continental referee’s view high challenge’s with stud’s showing as fouls and always award free kicks. It was clear last night and had it been anywhere else on the pitch it was a foul, however, it was in the penalty area so it’s a stonewall penalty.
Once someone is charged there should be a time limit by which a trial is held or the charges dropped
It’s not fair to anyone for things to drag on indefinitely
The same thing happened to xhaka while at arsenal charged with the same thing dragged on for eighteen months before no case to answer was the verdict, I don’t think paqueta lawyers were very bright in threatening the fa charge or let him go thinking the fa would back down,they gave them no choice but to charge him which in hindsight made the whole mess ten times worse than it needed to be all because they wanted the city transfer
The FA need a clean out!!!
At the risk of being called names ‘bigot, racist, etc.'(who gjves a flying!!) we need to say “no more woke and Leftie cucumber signaling up the orrifice”…the world of football has expensive players/assets that pass their ‘use by date’ at young age, the FA NEED TO LEARN A LESSON – “get all your evidence sorted, make a SOLID CASE, BEFORE the FA press charges…and if the FA loose – MEGA PAYOUT to PLAYER and CLUB. I reckon if Paq-man is proven innocent, WHUFC should sue the FA for what they paid for the player and half the Paq-man’s signing paid as compensation….then the FA might re-evaluate it’s process for these disciplinary matters.