Flamengo FC is a financial powerhouse in Brazilian football, achieving a record turnover of £240m in 2025, which is likely to be significantly more than West Ham’s estimated turnover of £220m last season. They are Brazil’s most valued club with a valuation of £703m
The Brazilian club achieved record player sales of £64 million in 2025, including those of Gerson, Wesley, and Matheus Gonçalves.
Flamengo has an extremely low debt-to-revenue ratio (around 0.05 in 2024), indicating strong financial health.
There is a belief in Brazil that Flamengo could easily afford to offer as much as €50m (£43m) for Lucas Paqueta, which could be enough to seal a deal with West Ham.
Flamengo Fans Launch #FreeLucasPaqueta Campaign
Flamengo football fans have started a viral internet campaign in Brazil that is called Free Lucas Paqueta, and the club is expected to continue their pursuit of their former player in January.
Publicly, West Ham say Lucas Paqueta is not for sale, and they resist all attempts to force a move this winter.
They said the same with Dimitri Payet in 2017, only to give in and sell the player back to Marseille for a discounted £25m.
At a potential £43m, West Ham would make a significant PSR profit on paper as they have written off four of the five years his free was depreciated over.
Paqueta was signed from Lyon in 2022 for €61.630 million (£53.4m, including €18.680 (£16.2 million) in bonuses spread over the player’s 5-year contract and an additional 10% sell-on fee.
The initial transfer fee paid to the French club equated to £37m, with £16m of add-ons, and while some of the add-ons have not been activated, the likely £43m fee is less than what has been paid out in real terms, meaning the 10% sell-on fee will not be activated.
West Ham have already written off £42.7m, leaving up to £10.7m remaining on the books, leaving a potential £32m paper PSR profit, but that will come as little comfort to the club or supporters should he leave the club in January.
If he’s going,, which seems likely, needs to depart with enough time to spend his fee.
Brazil transfer period ends March and England’s end of Jan money will be in Sully’s pocket.
2 proper experienced aged under 30 c/bks needed and Paquetta replacement.
Seem to be obsessed with goalkeepers stick with what we have.
Stick to asking fee £45m plus Aquerd £25m also probably saving on Paquetta wages.
Stop stalling and start buying time is short.
Sell the bum. That if they pay that we’re having their pants down. He’s been pony for two years and certainly won’t set the world alight now he’s said he wants out.
Flamengos record transfer last year was about 19 million I think. Are they going to want to double their record transfer spend?
“but that will come as little comfort to the club or supporters should he leave the club in January”.
Why?
Almost weekly he gets panned here and elsewhere for his perceived lack of effort, his histrionics, giving the ball away too often and in dangerous positions.
I’ve nothing against him as a person or player, but we need commitment to see us out of the current dilemma. He isn’t showing that right now. Hasn’t for a while.
Cash in and take advantage of the funds.
It would be a decent deal for us. No point keeping someone who doesn”t want to be here. The biggest problem we have is attracting players given our likely relegation. Sending Earthy out on loan seems a bit odd if we knew this was brewing but maybe we have a replacement lined up.