West Ham Close In On Paqueta Exit as Flamengo Deal Nears; Hien Targeted for Defensive Reinforcement

West Ham appear to have reached the end of the road with Lucas Paqueta, with the Brazilian midfielder's departure to Flamengo now a matter of when rather than if.

A verbal agreement worth £35.8m (€41.25m) has been struck between the two clubs, with paperwork expected to be formalised within 24 hours. The transfer represents the culmination of weeks of negotiation between Paqueta's representatives and the London outfit, who have been keen to extract maximum value from their departing star.

Flamengo have been accelerating their efforts to get the deal over the line, with director José Boto overseeing talks aimed at finalising payment structures. The Brazilian side are eager to bring Paqueta back to his homeland immediately rather than wait until the summer, and negotiations on the mechanics of payment are progressing at pace.

Paqueta's desire to return to Brazil has been well documented, particularly given the betting allegations he has faced in recent years. Despite his undoubted talent—and he remains arguably West Ham's most gifted player—his attitude has drawn scrutiny at times, and it became increasingly clear his position at the club had become untenable.

Remarkably, West Ham have managed to arrest their relegation slide without him. Back-to-back Premier League victories over Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland have lifted some of the gloom that has engulfed the Hammers for much of the campaign, with manager Nuno Espirito Santo having weathered a particularly turbulent spell.

Rather than simply accept Paqueta's departure, West Ham are moving swiftly to strengthen their squad. They have already bolstered their ranks this month with the arrivals of Taty Castellanos, Pablo, and Keiber Lamadrid, and they are not finished yet.

The club have now turned their attention to Atalanta, enquiring about the availability of Swedish centre-back Isak Hien. The 27-year-old, who can also operate at right-back, has found himself sidelined of late, and West Ham have put forward a proposal involving a loan with an attached fee plus an obligation to purchase should they avoid the drop.

While Hien appears to be their primary target, West Ham have also cast their net wider, with Club Brugge's Joel Ordonez among those considered, though he is viewed as an unlikely prospect at this stage.