Lucas Paquetá has opened up on the two Premier League heavyweights he rejected before his move to West Ham, admitting both approaches came at a time when he was still deciding the best next step in his career.
The Brazil international has become a key figure at the London Stadium since arriving from Lyon in 2022, but his route to east London was not as straightforward as many assumed. Paquetá said he had opportunities to join Manchester City and Manchester United, only to turn them down in favor of choices he felt made more sense for his development at the time.
Paquetá explained that the interest from City came while he was still playing in Brazil. United’s approach followed later, after his switch to AC Milan. Despite the prestige of both clubs and the clear appeal of the Premier League, he felt the timing was wrong and opted to stay on the path he believed would help him grow as a player.
The 26-year-old’s career has taken several major steps since then. After leaving Flamengo, he joined Milan in 2019 but struggled to settle consistently in Italy. A move to Lyon helped him rediscover his form and confidence, and his performances in France eventually put him back on the radar of England’s top sides.
West Ham acted decisively to bring him to the Premier League, paying a fee that was widely reported at around £50 million, a club record at the time. Paquetá quickly justified the investment, becoming central to David Moyes’ system and playing a major role in the club’s UEFA Europa Conference League triumph in 2023.
His strong form in England has only fueled further speculation about his future. Manchester City were strongly linked with him last summer as they looked to reinforce their midfield, and his name has continued to appear in transfer discussions ever since.
For now, Paquetá remains a West Ham player, but his comments underline how long elite clubs have tracked him. Turning down City and United earlier in his career may have surprised some, yet Paquetá suggested the decisions were based on what he felt was right at the time rather than the size of the badge.
West Ham will hope to keep him as they push to stay competitive in the Premier League and in Europe, but with the midfielder’s pedigree and the continued interest at the top end of the market, questions about his next move are unlikely to go away any time soon.
