Paqueta wants West Ham January exit to join Flamengo

West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta wants to return to Brazil and play for Flamengo.

The Brazilian side are ready to pay £26m (€30m), and he is willing to take a pay cut to return home.

Relegation-threatened West Ham are reluctant to sell one of their key players - especially as they sit 18th and are seven points from Premier League safety.

Two Premier League clubs also want to sign Paqueta this month, but his heart is set on returning to Brazil.

The Brazilian transfer window is open until March.

West Ham have not received a formal offer for the 28-year-old, who is the club's record signing after joining from Lyon in a £51m deal in August 2022.

Paqueta was absent for Sunday's FA Cup third-round home win over QPR and was at West Ham's training ground on Monday.

Whatever West Ham decide to do now with Paqueta, Sky Sports News has been told that he will not be playing for them next season.

The Brazil international is contracted to West Ham until the summer of 2027, and they have the option of extending his deal by another 12 months.

Paqueta was cleared of spot-fixing charges in July after a two-year investigation, which threatened to end his career.