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BACK IN BRAZIL: PAQUETá SET FOR MEDICAL AS WEST HAM ACCEPT RECORD BID

West Ham agrees to sell Lucas Paquetá to Flamengo for £35.8m. Discover how the Hammers will fight relegation without their star.

Back in Brazil: Paquetá set for medical as West Ham accept record bid
Lucas Paquetá’s return to Brazil is the ultimate win for player power

West Ham United just shook hands on a £35.8 million deal with Flamengo to sell Lucas Paqueta, one of their most important midfielders. According to Sky Sports, Paqueta looks set to head back to Brazil and rejoin his old club, Flamengo. It’s been a wild month at the London Stadium, with Paqueta making it clear he wants to leave and go home. Last summer, he turned down a big move to Aston Villa and decided to stick around, even though the rumours wouldn’t quit.

West Ham really didn’t want to let him go, especially now when they’re in the thick of a Premier League survival fight. They know a player like Paqueta can make all the difference when you’re scrambling for points at the bottom of the table. Still, it looks like they’ve decided to let him leave, probably because the pressure got too much.

Flamengo always looked like the favourites to get him. Reports say Paqueta ignored interest from other clubs and only had eyes for his former team. He already worked out personal terms with Flamengo a while ago, but West Ham refused to budge—until now.

With the Brazilian transfer window open until March, Flamengo weren’t giving up. They tried earlier in the window and failed, but now the Hammers have finally agreed to sell.

So, is West Ham doing the right thing? They’ve brought in some new signings this January, and you can see the difference—results have picked up. But losing someone like Paqueta is a real blow. He’s not just another player; he’s got a spark that’s hard to replace. West Ham still has some talent in the squad, but letting Paqueta go right now feels risky. It could come back to haunt them if they end up fighting for their Premier League status at the end of the season.

CONOR GALLAGHER CONFIRMED AS "VITAL" STARTER FOR SPURS FOLLOWING BENTANCUR’S INJURY LAYOFF

Conor Gallagher proved the doubters wrong against Man City. Discover why his €40m move to Tottenham is finally paying off for Spurs.

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Conor Gallagher secured first Spurs assist as Tottenham snatched a point at City

Chelsea and Atletico Madrid both decided Conor Gallagher wasn’t worth the trouble. At Chelsea, he had his moments—Pochettino liked him, but the fans never really warmed up. When Chelsea shipped him off to Atletico, it made sense. Enzo Fernandez stepped up, took over Gallagher’s role, and fit in perfectly next to Caicedo, with Cole Palmer adding that extra spark up front.

Things didn’t get much better for Gallagher in Spain. He barely got a chance at Atleti, lost his spot in the starting eleven, and pretty much ended up on the transfer list before anyone had time to blink. Interest was lukewarm at best until the winter window rolled around. Aston Villa wanted him and went after him pretty aggressively, but then Tottenham swooped in late. Spurs needed someone to patch up the midfield after Bentancur’s injury, so they just paid up—40 million euros, no hesitation.

His start at Tottenham? Rough. Honestly, that was to be expected. He’d played well at Palace before, but after his struggles at Atleti, he needed time to adjust. Sitting on the bench in Spain didn’t do him any favours.

Then Gallagher showed up. People doubted whether he could really add creativity and move the ball forward for Spurs, so his early struggles got people worried. But then came the 2-2 draw against Manchester City. He suddenly looked like the player both Ange Postecoglou and Thomas Frank were so desperate to sign.

Against City, Gallagher flipped the script. He set up a crucial assist, drove play forward on the dribble, and kept drawing fouls—everything the Spurs needed. Defensively, he was all over the place in a good way: two tackles, three interceptions, a full 90 minutes, and a huge part of the Spurs clawing their way back into the game.

Tottenham fans loved it. They saw the effort, the attitude, and the hunger to win. Gallagher just wouldn’t quit, and in that second half, he, Xavi Simons, Pape Matar Sarr, Destiny Udogie, and Dominic Solanke ran the show. Four of those guys have been carrying Spurs lately, so Gallagher is fitting right in with them. That’s a pretty good sign he’s going to work out just fine in North London.

AC MILAN MEDICAL FAILURE: THE HIDDEN KNEE INJURY THAT CRUSHED MATETA’S £30M MOVE

Jean-Philippe Mateta's £30m move to AC Milan is OFF. Discover why a failed medical has put his France World Cup dreams in jeopardy.

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Mateta’s "dream move" suddenly turned toxic.

Jean Philippe-Mateta’s got a real headache right now. The Crystal Palace striker just watched his £30 million dream move to AC Milan blow up at the last minute, all because a knee problem showed up during his medical.

The thing is, Mateta’s been carrying this injury for a while. Now he’s stuck: should he go under the knife and try to recover in time for the World Cup? He wants to make the France squad this summer, but nothing’s guaranteed. Even if he has surgery, there’s no telling if he’ll be fit enough—or have enough time on the pitch—to convince Didier Deschamps he deserves a spot.

The injury’s been dragging him down anyway. It’s messing with his form and his game time, and he’s worried he won’t get a real shot at proving himself for France if he isn’t at his best.

It’s tough because he’s coming off a fantastic year at Palace. FA Cup winner, big goals, helped the club reach Europe—it’s been a dream run. But now he might have to go back to Selhurst Park, even though he’s made it clear he’s had enough and wants out.

Honestly, it feels like only a matter of time before he leaves. His contract runs out next summer, and Palace can’t risk losing him for nothing. They’ve already watched Marc Guehi go to Man City for a bargain, just because his deal was running down.

Now Mateta has to sit down with Palace and the doctors to figure out what to do about his knee. Surgery would sideline him for months, probably killing his World Cup chances.

He’s gutted about Milan falling through, especially after Juventus cooled their interest and Nottingham Forest had an offer turned down. Over the weekend, he even unfollowed Palace on Instagram and posted a fed-up emoji. No one really knows if he’ll even make the squad for the Brighton game.

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