West Ham United will receive compensation if Lucas Paquetá returns to Europe in the future. The clause was presented as a sign of “respect” during negotiations with Flamengo, according to the Brazilian club’s president Luiz Eduardo Baptista, in an interview with the Spanish outlet AS.
Clause included to protect West Ham
The Flamengo president confirmed that the deal includes protective clauses to safeguard West Ham United. He said any future sale of Paquetá would trigger financial compensation for the Premier League side. That’s in addition to a buy-back clause that the Brazilian press reported earlier.
“Yes, there are clauses which establish that, if Paquetá is sold, West Ham will receive compensation,” he said. “I think that is absolutely legitimate.”
He explained that the English club wanted protection in case the midfielder left Brazil after a short spell and moved again for a higher fee.
“If I were in the position of West Ham’s owner, I would think that, if Paquetá only plays one year in Brazil and we sell him for €70m, West Ham would be harmed,” he stated.
A fair West Ham request
Luiz Eduardo Baptista
Luiz Eduardo Baptista
The Flamengo chief stressed that he understood West Ham’s position from the outset. In his view, the request reflected common sense rather than resistance to the deal.
“I understood that their request was fair,” he said. He added that Flamengo never intended to treat the clause as a problem. Instead, the club accepted it as part of a balanced negotiation.
“It is also fair that West Ham do not lose money in this transaction,” he explained. “That is why we had to negotiate many details over time.”
Respect on both sides
The president acknowledged that Flamengo have no plans to sell Paquetá in the short term. Still, he accepted that football situations can change quickly.
He said future offers could arrive and that, in that scenario, the structure of the deal protects everyone involved. According to him, West Ham’s position remained central throughout the talks.
“I have no doubt that, without the player’s desire to return to Brazil, the negotiation would not have been possible,” he said.
He described the discussions as complex but transparent. In the end, he framed the agreement as positive for both clubs.
It was, in his words, “a happy ending”, with West Ham agreeing to sell while ensuring their interests remained protected.