Paquetá’s Departure: A Matter of Perspective
Lucas Paquetá’s departure from West Ham in mid‑season sits at the crossroads of personal struggle, professional ambition, and the emotional pull of home.
Whether it feels harsh depends on the lens you choose — the club, us the fans, or the player.
Lucas Paquetá arrived in East London in 2022 as a marquee signing. He played 139 times for the Hammers, registering 23 goals and 15 assists. His time at the club was marked by moments of brilliance and equally some very average performances — yet also a cloud he could never quite escape: the nearly two‑year spot‑fixing investigation which, even after he was cleared, left a psychological imprint.
Despite the club’s efforts to keep him, insisting they did “everything possible to persuade Lucas to stay”, Paquetá made it clear that his heart was elsewhere.
West Ham have lost a key creative player at a crucial point in the campaign. The timing disrupts squad planning, especially with the January window’s limited options.
But as Sir Alex Ferguson once said, no player is bigger than the club.
A Departure Rooted in Mental Strain
So why has Paquetá left West Ham mid-season?
The reality is that he was dealing with personal and family pressures, and carrying the mental weight of an investigation that followed him across two seasons.
Even after being cleared, he struggled to move on — a reminder that public vindication doesn’t erase private stress.
In his leaving speech, he said:
“Some days were happy, others not so much, but I always tried to be my best self and we all know why that’s no longer possible. Some scars I will carry for the rest of my life and one made me realise that I can’t keep fighting against something that’s no longer for me.”
Seen through that lens, his timing becomes less about abandoning West Ham and more about reclaiming stability.
He made it clear that he wanted a fresh start away from the environment where the scrutiny had followed him. West Ham acknowledged this directly in their statement — a rare public admission that the player’s life off the pitch was central to the decision.
His return to Flamengo, his boyhood club, wasn’t a sudden impulse. In truth, they had been in contact with his representatives for some time. He has reportedly agreed to take a wage cut to make the move happen, which reaffirms how deeply he wanted it.
The Man Behind the Player
This situation isn’t unique. During his brief spell at AC Milan, Paquetá had difficulties integrating with the squad. His wife struggled to settle in Italy and his close friend Leonardo departed for PSG. Paquetá admitted to feeling lonely, affected by harsh judgments and unsure how to cope.
His West Ham chapter should hopefully end not with bitterness, but with complexity. In my opinion, he wasn’t running from the club — he was running toward peace, familiarity, and a chance to reset his life and career.
There is a clear disconnect between fans and players, especially when high wages create the illusion of invulnerability. But mental illness doesn’t discriminate. It affects people in every corner of the game. Michail Antonio has openly discussed his own mental health struggles in the past, once saying: “The quicker we end the stigma for mental health, the better for everyone.”
In a sport that often treats players as assets, Paquetá’s story is a reminder that they are people first. If anything, the harshness lies not in his departure, but in the circumstances that pushed him to seek home again.
Well for my two Bob’s worth he certainly was brilliant at times but increasingly less so at other times. And when he was off of his game we virtually played with 10 men. That’s unsustainable in any level of football. So he’s gone were back to 11 v 11 let’s see what happens. Goodbye and thanks for the memories and THAT pass
Agree with all our sensible friends. Well said Matt. An honest view with relatable words.
Good read, can’t disagree with anything said here. Would really like to see him playing his best and happy.
Once an iron, always an iron!
Good luck to Paqueta. I don’t feel the animosity of some. When a player goes back home I don’t mind. I felt the same when Payet went back to France. Just grateful to have seen them okay for West Ham and not some other premier league team. Now if Paqueta moved to another premier league club I’d be giving him dogs abuse.
Mental health can affect anyone irrespective of their financial situation. The biggest issue on the whole bet fixing fiasco is that nobody at the FA appears to have been held accountable. A two year operation ended up with insufficient evidence, West Ham losing a big transfer fee and the player a great career move. Compensation and heads rolling should have been the minimum outcome
Finally, a human perspective. Well said, Matt
Brilliant, balanced article Matt which shows a real understanding of mental health difficulties. A real change from some of the vitreol being written in articles about Paqueta. I hope he can recover and I also his wife and family find some peace.
Very well written piece Matt and totally agree. We don’t choose what gives us stress or makes us depressed and whilst most of us would be very grateful for his income, money doesn’t make you happy in itself it just gives you better opportunities to enjoy yourself.
Well said, a balanced commentary on a situation that had clearly become impossible for the player to cope with.
Yip totally agree, wise words. Does however leave us in a pickle because the club almost certainly has no plan to replace a key creative player if it’s even possible despite probably knowing this was very likely. A loan would be the only possiblity to give a fringe player game time.
this bloke was part of a team that gave us one of our best moment in 40 years, and played the pass that made it possible.
that’s on top of the run to get there where he was exceptional.
other so called top players in our history have delivered nothing.
He goes with my wishes and thanks for that night in Prague and the fun I had travelling around Europe before that.
It was the FA that killed him as a player, not us.
Well said Matt.
Well most of us have pressure in our employment I had plenty running a warehouse and shipping office but £175 grand a week would certainly have helped !! I think his depression started when his move to Man City was cancelled. Lets face it playing football does not exactly make me think he had a terrible life !!
It is the only life he will ever have, Hammer. Don’t think he’s at the point of ending it all. Don’t think he is after sympathy. Just moving on to enjoy life with a happy family. Can’t fault it, just need to understand.
Payet did something similar when he headed back home. Dawson too. Dave Unsworth. Many more.
The difference with Dawson is that he didn’t throw a fit with the referee in a crucial game, in a very bad time for us, and showed us great commitment throughout his time here.
While I acknowledge that Paqueta is as vulnerable as anyone else, the strop he threw in the Liverpool game sums up his attitude in a relegation fight. There was no commitment to make amends thereafter and a half-ar*ed non-apology on Twitter doesn’t cut it. He’s gone, that’s probably for the best for both parties, but the fawning hagiography on here is just cringeworthy.
Money doesn’t help mental issues
As a guy who had a major burnout 10 years ago and was unable to work for 2 years I sympathise
Money can’t solve that
Imagine not knowing if your career might be ended suddenly one day and not being able to work in the only business you know. Having it drag on for 2 years with the picnic and press constantly slaughtering you. Don’t think any normal person could easily handle that
*Public not picnic
It doesn’t matter, he’s gone thank heavens.
👍
I’m a big advocate for mental health support but he wasn’t living in Gaza though was he? Jeez
I would like to wish Paqueta and his family a happy future
It is not his fault he pushed to leave, the FA inquiry finished him mentally, you could see in his play he just was not happy and I think for his health and family always must come first and I admire him to do what is best for him and his family
West Ham have lost a lot as well, a great player before the allegations
All the best
Well said, that’s a much fairer article than last night’s nonsense from someone else.