West Ham’s January window was dominated by the departure of Lucas Paquetá, who completed an emotional return to Flamengo in a deal worth just over £35 million.
The move split opinion among supporters. Some were pleased to see the Brazilian head back to his boyhood club after a turbulent spell in England, while others were frustrated he didn’t see out the remainder of the campaign as initially expected.
But while Paquetá has swapped east London for Rio, the connection between the two clubs may not be over just yet.
West Ham Monitoring Evertton Araujo
Evertton Araujo. (Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)
Evertton Araujo. (Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)
According to Flamengo journalist Leo José, West Ham are keeping a close eye on Paquetá’s teammate Evertton Araujo ahead of a possible summer approach.
Posting on X, José claimed: “West Ham [are] eyeing Everton Araujo. The English club got wind of the player through their scout. The 22-year-old midfielder is now being closely watched by the London team.”
He added that the Hammers currently value the midfielder at around €12 million (approximately £10m), although Flamengo are believed to be demanding significantly more.
“I’ve also heard that West Ham values the player at around 12 million euros. Flamengo are holding out for a much higher price, given he’s a young talent with European market potential.”
Flamengo manager Filipe Luís is reportedly a strong admirer of Araujo and is reluctant to lose him, especially with a congested fixture schedule ahead. The midfielder is under contract until December 2028, and the Brazilian club already rejected a €5 million bid from Grêmio earlier in the window.
With a structured minutes-management plan in place and his importance to the squad growing, Flamengo are in no rush to sell.
For West Ham, though, the scouting groundwork appears to have been laid — and if they decide to formalise their interest this summer, negotiations may not come cheap.