West Ham vice-chair Karren Brady has emphatically quashed any lingering speculation surrounding the future of midfielder Lucas Paquetá, confirming that he will stay at the club this summer—despite mounting transfer rumors and interest from top-tier teams. Brady conveyed this to talkSPORT, stating plainly: “I think he wants to stay, and we definitely want him to stay, so he will be staying.”
This decision follows Paquetá being cleared by an independent Regulatory Commission of serious misconduct charges related to alleged betting breaches—a situation that had threatened not just his West Ham career, but potentially ended his participation in football altogether. Unsurprisingly, Brady emphasized the club’s unwavering support during that difficult time: “We completely believed in him. We stood right the way alongside him throughout the whole scenario.”
Paquetá’s form suffered last season amid the weight of the investigation, yet even in Monday’s opening-day 3-0 loss at Sunderland—a chastening defeat that exposed midfield fragilities—Brady saw positives in his commitment. Paquetá covered 10.7 km, the most of any West Ham player, with 7.5 km of that being active running, a clear sign of his determination despite a lackluster overall team performance.
With Paquetá staying put, West Ham can now focus their resources on other transfer maneuvers. Brady pointed to the departures of players like Mohammed Kudus—sold to Tottenham for around £55 million—as part of the club’s necessary financial balancing amid strict Premier League and PSR (Profitability and Sustainability Regulations). She also highlighted new signings such as El Hadji Malick Diouf, Mads Hermansen, Kyle Walker-Peters, and Callum Wilson, while stressing the need for added “pace in midfield” before the transfer window closes.
In short:
- Lucas Paquetá will not be sold this summer—both he and West Ham are aligned in their intention for him to remain.
- His clearance of the FA investigation and the club’s continued backing signal a turning point.
- Despite the Sunderland blowout, Paquetá’s work-rate gives a hint of rekindled spirit.
- The club is instead turning its attention to reinforcements, especially in midfield, having already offloaded some assets and brought in several new faces.
This is a strong statement of faith in Paquetá—and a clear signal that West Ham view him as central to their plans moving forward.
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