Julen Lopetegui

Paqueta Puts West Ham’s Transfer Window in Peril

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West Ham‘s new era under Julen Lopetegui has barely begun, and it’s already facing a major obstacle. Lucas Paqueta‘s FA charges for alleged betting breaches threaten to throw the club’s transfer plans into complete disarray.

A potential multi-year ban for Paqueta wouldn’t just devastate the player’s career, it could cripple West Ham’s summer spending. Earlier reports suggested a hefty £70-85 million windfall from a Paqueta transfer to Manchester City. Now, that financial cushion seems like a distant dream.

Guardian journalist Jacob Steinberg suggests Lopetegui’s budget will now rely heavily on player sales. This, coupled with potential Financial Fair Play (FFP) concerns, paints a worrying picture for West Ham fans hoping for a significant squad overhaul.

The club’s pursuit of relatively unknown players like Wesley Gassova and Fabricio Bruno reflects this newfound financial prudence. While these deals might be sensible from a risk-reward perspective, they lack the ambition that a Paqueta sale might have allowed.

Imagine the calibre of players West Ham could have targeted if they had received a hefty sum for Paqueta.  Now, they’re forced to navigate the transfer market with a tighter leash.

Lopetegui’s baptism of fire has become a full-blown inferno. He must now rebuild the squad with potentially limited resources. The Paqueta situation casts a long shadow over West Ham’s transfer window, raising concerns about the club’s ability to compete in the upcoming season.

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14 comments

  • Phil Baker says:

    It doesn’t matter if the owners are billionaires or trillionaires , FFP is unrelated to their worth . Plain and simple , Westham have 85 million less to spend during the summer transfer window . If Westham have any class players leaving for free , they need to be properly courted by Lopetegui and Steidten and a viable squad assembled . Hopefully Lopetegui won;t leave in a huff two days before the new season starts .

  • Gray says:

    That’s why we didn’t spend on Amorin and got cheapo Lopetegui. Money will be an issue in getting in proven quality but the pearl diver must be on the case. We hope it works out. Paqueta must hav3 have sawdust for a brain. Paqueta Island. How did he think hexsoukd get away with it. Idiot

  • Tom says:

    No he doesn’t

  • Morty says:

    You were telling us all we were in no peril regarding FFP/PSR and had a £300m war chest a couple of weeks ago, were you misinformed back then?

  • Anon says:

    Again Sullivan and part time useless Brady show their true colours

    • Paul says:

      What’s Pacquta being moron potentially Brady’s and Sullys fault. Honestly the morons on this message trail. I know owners have checkered record can’t see how even they get blamed for this.

  • Alan says:

    We were profitable in terms of transfers in 23/24 including selling a player for £100m ‘pure profit’ in PSR terms. We have already sold Kehrer, Benrahma will shortly follow and there are big question marks over the likes of Downes and Aguerd who are likely to be sold also.

    If were fed the line that were skint or inhibited by FFP / PSR then the entire fan base should call ******** and re-start the protests against Sullivan and Brady.

    • Carrick hammer says:

      Well said Alan there’s £60m approx from those 4 alone and surely after the last 3 seasons we must have a transfer kitty

  • Jellied Eel says:

    If contingency plans have not been worked out by now, given the many months that have elapsed since the news came out about Paqueta being investigated, then something is seriously wrong at the club. The new manager would have known that this scenario was a possibility, yet still took the job. He can’t use it as an excuse down the track.

  • Deathblow says:

    Oh my God, you total drama queen, not to mention a right old Debbie Downer!
    Have you stopped to think that if Steidten is doing his job as the ‘savior of West Ham’ you constantly tell he is, that he hasn’t planned for all scenarios, and it they were discussed with JLo?
    Perhaps we might have to integrate some of our own players from the U21s and take players on loan. We’ve never totally worked with flash mercenaries who turn it on when they feel like it. A whole lot of team spirit with honest pros could take us a long way.

    If plans haven’t been made then the slug needs to remove himself from any club matters because he’s either living in La La land when there’s been investigations in Brazil surrounding a Real Betis player involved in the same alleged scam and there’s more information out there that suggests this is far more serious than was being peddled on here, and/or he’s employed the wrong people if they haven’t done any planning for a negative outcome.
    You sound like Talk****e and Radio 5 Live, and those other complete Debbie Downer’s Redkanpp and Judus Cottee who they trot out as West Ham ‘legends’ when they want to try and tell us even West Ham fru and fru don’t think the club know what they’re doing.
    How about some more postive stuff?
    And yes, I’ve been guilty of running down transfer rumors on here which may seem negative, but frankly the tripe that you come out with has been the worst for quite some time.
    Get a grip. Let’s get behind JLo, let’s all unite against those who tell us we should know our place.
    F*ck ’em. We are West Ham and our future doesn’t depend on one player.

    • Micky Bond says:

      Couldn’t have put it better myself. I for one can’t wait for the new season to start and I’m optimistic for our clubs future. COYI

  • Graham says:

    Money must be found from somewhere with the ending of contracts and payers moving on. Our already thin squad would have trouble competing in any league yet alone the PL. I cannot believe Lopetegui would of signed unless he was guaranteed a very large transfer budget even excluding any fees from a Parqueta transfer

    • Bennyboy baker says:

      Should Paqueta be found guilty and receive a hefty ban as bad as it would be the owners will have to dig deep and bring in the players required regardless of how much the owners would have to splash out hopefully paqueta will be cleared of any wrongdoing he has already said time and again that he is innocent I for one believe him

      • Neil Down Under says:

        The owners are worth billions, given there are FFP rules to follow, the difference between billions and millions is vast.
        They have it, it’s just a question of do they want to liquidate some assets or borrow against them to pump into a high risk investment that is the EPL?

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