Lucas Paqueta could go on strike for West Ham’s clash with rivals Tottenham on Saturday to help force a transfer away from the club.
The Brazilian playmaker is wanted back in his native country, with Flamengo having a £30.2million bid turned down by the Hammers.
West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo, who leads the betting for the Premier League sack race, wants to keep Paqueta for their survival bid.
Lucas Paqueta Set To Go On Strike
The 28-year-old asked to sit out of West Ham’s FA Cup third round victory over QPR following the latest transfer developments.
Now he could further upset club chiefs by refusing to play against Spurs in another crucial contest, according to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook.
West Ham sit 18th, seven points adrift of safety, and a loss away at their London rivals would be another damning blow in their disastrous season.
It would also pile more pressure on Nuno, with former boss Slaven Bilic waiting in the wings.
Paqueta is unhappy in England and remains unsettled since the spot-fixing allegations came to light in 2023.
His form has taken a dip this season with four goals across 18 appearances, but he’s only found the target once in his last eight matches.
West Ham stuck with Paqueta despite the allegations, and the club felt let down by his determination to quit the club at a crucial time in the campaign.
However, they face the prospect of keeping an unhappy player at the club and risk further lowering morale in the squad should they turn down his move to Brazil.
Paqueta also wants a return to his home country his month to help his chances of representing Brazil at the World Cup in the summer.
West Ham Looking At Eric Dier
England international Eric Dier has been offered a move to West Ham, which would add much-needed defensive stability to their side.
Dier is still contracted to Monaco until 2028 but hasn’t featured in the league for three months due to hamstring and calf injuries.
The 31-year-old played 11 times under Espirito Santo while the duo were at Tottenham before Dier moved to Bayern Munich in January 2024.
His fitness would come under question, but Dier would add experience and versatility as he can play in midfield and central defence.
West Ham have the worst defensive record in the Premier League, having conceded 43 goals in 21 games.
Nuno has already strengthened his attack with the £50million arrivals of Taty Castellanos and Pablo Felipe.
Luis Guilherme has been sold to Sporting, while Callum Wilson is likely to terminate his contract.
West Ham now require significant investment in their defence, and their sale of Paqueta will help facilitate that.
