Aston Villa brutally 'turned down' by another £35m-rated midfielder as frustrating January continues
Aston Villa are pushing to sign a midfielder before the winter window closes
After missing out on Atletico Madrid central midfielder Conor Gallagher to Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa’s frustration in the January transfer window has intensified, with long-term target Lucas Paqueta having also reportedly made it clear that he wants to join another club instead.
Paqueta, who joined West Ham from Lyon for £51m in the summer of 2022, was linked with a move to Villa Park over the summer, but the Hammers refused to sanction a move for the player due to his importance to the team.
The Brazil international, who has played 139 times for the capital club across all competitions, has since gone on to score five goals and register one assist in 19 appearances this term and has produced some big moments for the team, including a long-distance strike against Newcastle United while getting a goal and an assist during a 2-2 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion. However, after informing the club that he didn’t wish to play against QPR in the FA Cup, it appears that Paqueta’s days at the London Stadium are numbered.
Lucas Paqueta makes transfer intentions clear amid Aston Villa links
West Ham ace Paqueta is believed to be seeking a move back to Brazil in the January transfer window in a devastating blow to the team’s hopes of trying to survive in the top-flight.
Paqueta’s camp have turned down interest from Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa in recent weeks, according to reports from TEAMtalk, to prioritise a move to Flamengo in his homeland.
The 28-year-old started his career with the Rio de Janeiro-based outfit back in 2016 and made 95 appearances in total in Série A before eventually moving to Italian side AC Milan to pursue a career in Europe.
However, he’s now thought to be eyeing up a return to the place where it all started ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, although it’s not yet fully clear if a deal will be possible due to West Ham’s desire to try and make at least £42.5m for the sale to try and recoup most of what they paid three years ago.
Flamengo have reportedly confirmed verbally that they can pay around £35m but it’s not clear if they have the funds to meet West Ham’s full valuation.
The Guardian’s Jacob Steinfield explained: “Lucas Paqueta asked not to play against QPR and wants to join Flamengo, who are willing to pay €40m for the West Ham midfielder. Unclear if Paqueta plays for West Ham again - but they remain reluctant to sanction a January sale.”
What next for Aston Villa?
Aston Villa have been one of the outstanding teams in the Premier League. They sit in third and have put themselves in a fantastic position to achieve Champions League qualification and perhaps even challenge for a first league title since 1981. Bearing in mind, Villa were goalless in their first four matches and without a win in their first five makes their league position even more staggering, particularly when also considering that the team were restricted in terms of incoming expenditure by PSR.
Villa are through to the fourth round of the FA Cup, are expected to progress deep into the Europa League and also have plenty of matches coming up in a short space of time in the league. This leaves Emery in a tough position in terms of squad depth and managing minutes, particularly when midfield trio Amadou Onana, Boubacar Kamara and Ross Barkley among others are all nursing injuries.
Villa’s efforts to sign Paqueta along with Gallagher suggest there’s funds to spend on a central midfielder, but whether they can find a player that fits the calibre of Emery’s team remains to be seen between now and the closure of the winter window.