West Ham United is delighted to announce the Club record signing of Brazil international Lucas Paquetá.
The attacking midfielder, who celebrated his 25th birthday on Saturday, has joined the Hammers on a five-year deal with a one-year option for an undisclosed record fee from Olympique Lyonnais.
An outstanding talent able to play as a No10 or No8, Paquetá has been capped 33 times by Brazil, won the Copa América in 2019 and has starred for Flamengo in his home city of Rio de Janeiro, Italian club AC Milan and Lyon.
Blessed with superb technical ability, creativity, an incisive range of passing and a willingness to work hard for his team defensively, Paquetá is relishing the opportunity to bring his considerable talents to London Stadium.
“I am extremely happy to be here. I hope it’s the beginning of an enjoyable journey. I hope my time here is successful,” said the South American, who will wear the No11 shirt in Claret and Blue.
“Last season, West Ham had a very good season and I hope they continue to enjoy more and more good seasons in my time at the Club.
“I am excited to pull on the West Ham shirt and show the fans what I can do, to help my team-mates and the Club.”
Manager David Moyes hailed Paquetá’s all-round qualities, and his arrival as a statement of intent by the Club to maintain the position as a regular challenger for European qualification.
“I’m delighted to welcome Lucas to West Ham,” said Moyes, who made Paquetá his eighth signing of the summer window, following Gianluca Scamacca, Nayef Aguerd, Emerson Palmieri, Maxwel Cornet, Thilo Kehrer, Alphonse Areola and Flynn Downes.
“He’s a player I’ve admired from afar for a very long time and of course, we saw him close up in our Europa League campaign last season.
“He’s a very talented footballer and whilst he will need time to adapt to the Premier League, we’re excited about adding another proven international to our squad.”
Born Lucas Tolentino Coelho de Lima in August 1997, West Ham’s newest arrival takes his name from his birthplace on Paquetá Island, a car-free idyll situated in Rio’s Guanabara Bay.
Paquetá joined the city’s Flamengo club at the age of eight, was promoted to the first-team squad and won the Rio de Janeiro State League title at 18, made his debut in Brazil’s Serie A and scored in the Brazilian Cup final at 19 and won the Bola de Prato awarded to Serie A’s top player at 20.
A prodigious talent, Paquetá was coveted by many of Europe’s top clubs and made his move across the Atlantic Ocean in January 2019, when he joined AC Milan and made 44 appearances across 18 months in Italy.
Having helped Brazil win the Copa América on home turf in 2019, Paquetá moved to Lyon in September 2020, and quickly established himself as a standout performer in Ligue 1, being named in the 2020/21 Team of the Year.
Another impressive campaign in 2021/22 followed and Paquetá joins the Hammers after contributing 35 direct goal involvements – 21 goals and 14 assists – in 80 appearances across two seasons in France.
He has also become an automatic pick for Brazil, appearing six times as his country reached the 2021 Copa América final, then starting ten of the Little Canaries’ final eleven FIFA World Cup qualifying ties as they secured passage to Qatar.
As he continues his journey in Claret and Blue, everyone at West Ham United wishes Lucas the very best for his career in east London.
