Paquetá posts photo to reject West Ham January transfer reports

Lucas Paquetá posted a smiling photo on social media on Tuesday, appearing to reject reports that he intends to force a move away from West Ham United in the January transfer window. The Brazil midfielder shared an image of himself in a West Ham shirt with his two sons and a smiling emoji shortly after reports emerged that he wanted to leave the club amid its poor start to the season.

The 28 year old is under contract at the London Stadium until 2027 and has been a regular starter this season. He has featured in all nine Premier League games, scoring twice, but West Ham sit 19th after one win and seven defeats, contributing to speculation about player departures. Paquetá has previously been linked with several clubs, and his potential exit has been discussed repeatedly since a high-profile transfer interest in 2023 did not materialise.

Reports say Paquetá was encouraged to seek a move to Aston Villa in the summer and that a loan approach from his former club Flamengo was also declined. Earlier interest from a top English club in 2023 reportedly collapsed after Paquetá was investigated by football authorities over betting-related matters; those charges were later dropped. Club...