West Ham have accepted to receive Lucas Paquetá’s transfer fee in 24 monthly instalments but are waiting for Flamengo to agree on the best way to divide the number of payments, per ESPN sources.
Flamengo have agreed a deal with West Ham to sign the Brazilian midfielder for a fixed fee of £35.78m ($48.9), with no performance-related bonuses included in the deal.
Sources have told ESPN that the Brazilian club is working on finalising a payment method that will not compromise the club’s budget for the coming months.
“If it goes as West Ham wants, Flamengo will be taking risks,” a source close to the negotiations told ESPN.
“We’re not going to ruin our plans. The way we want to close the deal protects us even if we have a bad year financially. We want to be sure we can pay. That’s called responsibility.”
Initially, Flamengo planned to pay £30m upfront, approximately 85% of the total transfer fee, with the remaining £5.5m paid in instalments.
However, Flamengo president Luiz Eduardo Baptista is now considering a longer payment plan for Paqueta’s transfer so that his club can have funds to sign more reinforcements throughout the season.
Paquetá, who has 18 months left on his contract with the London club, wants to return to Brazil this month. He has already agreed personal terms with his boyhood club Flamengo until December 2029.
The Brazil international, who joined the east London club in the summer of 2022 from Lyon, has four goals and one assist in 18 Premier League appearances this season.
With his future at West Ham uncertain, Paquetá, 28, has been left out of Nuno Espirito Santo’s squads since Jan. 6.
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