Speculation around West Ham United has reached fever pitch once again, with the club’s difficult season ensuring every rumour is magnified.
As the Hammers battle to pull themselves clear of relegation trouble, uncertainty around the future of key players has only added to the noise — particularly when London rivals are mentioned in the same breath.
Last week, that spotlight fell firmly on Lucas Paquetá.
Reports began circulating that Tottenham Hotspur had launched a surprise £26 million bid for the Brazilian midfielder, prompting widespread debate among supporters already anxious about the club’s direction.
Paqueta Not Leaving for Spurs
In an effort to cut through the speculation, Claret & Hugh spoke directly to a source extremely close to Paquetá to clarify the situation.
The message could not have been more definitive.
“Paquetá will not be leaving West Ham to join Tottenham in this transfer window,” the source said.
The wording has inevitably raised questions about what happens beyond January, but that interpretation is not the intention of the statement. That said, it was made clear to Claret & Hugh that Paquetá is expected to leave West Ham before the start of next season — a scenario described as “100%” certain.
For now, however, any January exit is completely off the table. Nuno Espírito Santo reportedly views Paquetá as his standout player and has no intention of allowing him to depart midway through a relegation battle.
