Flamengo announced on their official website on Saturday that West Ham United's Brazil international attacking midfielder Lucas Paquetá has returned to the club.

According to Flamengo's official statement, Paquetá has signed on a long-term four-year deal with the club which runs until the winter of 2030. He will also wear the number 20 jersey.

Furthermore, according to Sky Sports' renowned Italian transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, Rubro-Negro paid West Ham a transfer fee of €41 million to facilitate Paquetá's return to the club after a seven-year.

He also refuted claims and confirmed that Manchester City was never involved in the bidding war for Paquetá.

About Lucas Paquetá

The 25-year-old Paquetá was born on August 27, 1997, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He is 1.8 meters tall and plays as an attacking midfielder, but can also play as a left winger or center forward. He holds dual Brazilian and Portuguese citizenship. His brother, Matheus, is also a professional footballer.

Paquetá joined Flamengo's youth academy at the age of 10 and completed his Flamengo first-team debut in March 2016.

Since his debut, Paquetá's technical abilities have consistently been compared to those of Kaká, Ronaldinho, and Philippe Coutinho.

During his two and a half years with Rubro-Negro, Paquetá helped the reigning Campeonato Brasileiro Série A champions win the Campeonato Carioca title once and reach the Copa do Brasil final once.

In January 2019, Paquetá joined AC Milan for €35 million.

However, due to his inability to rediscover his form while playing for I Rossoneri, Paquetá's transfer was widely ridiculed by Italian pundits and media as "all bark and no bite."

In September 2020, Paquetá joined Lyon for €20 million.

After becoming a member of Les Gones, Paquetá's performances and form not only returned to the peak level he displayed at Flamengo, but also garnered praise from major media outlets in several European countries.

In late August 2022, Paquetá joined West Ham United for £60 million.

During his three-and-a-half-year spell with the Hammers, Paquetá made 139 appearances for the Premier League club in all competitions, scoring 23 goals and providing 15 assists, and winning one UEFA Conference League title with the club.

Image source: Internet / Flamengo official website