As West Ham United’s interest in Real Madrid Endrick emerged this week, it is tempting to wonder when – or indeed where – Lucas Paqueta provides his first assist for the Brazil wonderkid.
Will it be in the yellow and green of the Selecao?
Carlo Ancelotti has made Lucas Paqueta a key part of his Brazil plans since taking over. And while recent hamstring and thigh issues mean Endrick will have to wait to make his 15th international appearance, Ancelotti described the 19-year-old as a ‘spectacular’ talent during their time together at the Santiago Bernabeu.
So, while Lucas Paqueta should create plenty of chances for the bright young hope of Brazilian football over the coming years, could they actually kick-start a potentially formidable partnership in the claret and blue of West Ham United?
Hammers News reported on Wednesday, via chief football correspondent Graeme Bailey, that West Ham are big fans of Real Madrid’s Endrick.
And though Los Blancos boss Xabi Alonso insists that Endrick’s ‘time will come’ in the Spanish capital, the Hammers may inhale a big intake of hopium in the knowledge that the former Palmeiras sensation shares an agent – and seemingly a good relationship – with Nuno Espirito Santo’s number ten.
West Ham United’s Lucas Paqueta already has a nickname for Real Madrid’s Endrick
Paqueta joined forces with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation agency a couple of years ago.
In addition to Vinicius Jr, Gabriel Martinelli, Kevin de Bruyne and Inter Milan left-back Federico DiMarco, Roc Nation also count Endrick as one of their more high-profile clients.
A year and a half after Paqueta and Endrick first shared a pitch on the international stage, meanwhile, the prospect of a reunion in East London has understandably captured the imagination among some West Ham fans desperate for something to raise the excitement levels.
Paqueta, like most of a Hammers persuasion, has had to rely upon a solid sense of humour during a difficult spell both on and off the field.
And Endrick’s well-publicised admiration of a certain Sir Bobby Charlton earned the 19-year-old a few good-natured jibes from Paqueta together in the Selecao set-up.
Should they find themselves linking up on Nuno’s watch during the second half of the season, expect Paqueta to welcome Endrick with a cheeky reference to that ‘Bobby’ nickname.
“Bobby Charlton is an idol here,” he said after scoring a famous winner at Wembley in the spring of 2024, paying tribute to a Manchester United great who retired 40 years before Endrick was even born.
“Playing in the stadium where Bobby played, scoring a goal on the date [Brazil icon] Ronaldo made his debut, it is a landmark date.’
West Ham ‘cannot be discounted’ as January transfer window approaches
Of course, at this stage, the prospect of West Ham landing one of the planet’s most exciting centre-forwards – even on loan – feels pretty unlikely. Especially taking the comments Alonso gave to Diario AS, just last week.
“He has a chance to be a starter [in the near future],” says Alonso, who has included Endrick in his squad for each of the last four La Liga matches albeit while not bringing him off the bench.
“He’s coming off a slightly longer injury, but he’s been training well for a few weeks now and it’s just a matter of finding the right context in the game for him to come on.
“He has a goal-scoring instinct. A brutal finish. There’s just a lot of competition. But his time will come.”
West Ham’s interest is presumably more in hope, rather than expectation. Yet, with Kylian Mbappe irreplaceable and Gonzalo Garcia clearly having earned Alonso’s admiration, that hope is not without reason.
“West Ham have tried to sign Endrick on more than one occasion,” Bailey reveals. “They were at the head of the queue in January [2025] for instance, had he moved on loan. They even asked when he originally arrived in Madrid, in case he was allowed to go.
“Endrick, I am told, was open to the possibility had he left on loan, but it was always about creating his chance at Madrid.
“The fact it still hasn’t worked out, then, I am told West Ham still would like to take him. And if he is allowed out, West Ham honestly can’t be discounted.”
