When West Ham made Mateus Fernandes their third-biggest signing ever in a deal worth more than £30m in August, there would have almost certainly been a feeling that his creativity could help mitigate Lucas Paqueta's impending exit. However, the need for Fernandes to deliver creatively looks to have come earlier than West Ham expected, with Flamengo closing in on a deal to re-sign Paqueta despite the Hammers indicating a reluctance to sell earlier in January. Interestingly, Fernandes and Paqueta compare similarly when analysing their creativity. With the news that Paqueta looks set for a £35m move to Flamengo, how do you feel about his impending exit? Do West Ham need to go into the market to replace him?

Source: BBC January 27, 2026 10:04 UTC