Flamengo has hit with defender in this window - says journalist

Lucas Paquetá, a Flamengo talent who currently plays for West Ham, has been linked to a major transfer controversy this summer. The midfielder was speculated about a possible return to the club, having faced accusations of involvement in sports betting manipulation, which could even result in a permanent ban from football.

However, Paquetá was acquitted and was free to pursue his career . In response to the speculation, West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady gave a definitive answer about the number 10's future.

LUCAS PAQUETÁ WILL NOT RETURN TO BRAZIL

In a recent interview, Karren Brady highlighted the English club's confidence in Lucas Paquetá's continued presence. According to the director, there is no intention of negotiating the player during this transfer window.

" I think he wants to stay here, and we definitely want him to stay. So the fact is, he's going to stay here," Brady said, putting an end to rumors about a possible transfer.

WEST HAM MANAGER REVEALS DETAILS

In addition to confirming his continued presence, the English director also revealed the behind-the-scenes story of a turbulent period in the midfielder's career. The match-fixing accusation generated uncertainty about his future , both at club level and internationally.

"It was a very difficult time in Lucas's life. It was a very serious accusation that hung over him , and the FA wanted to ban him for life. So the seriousness of the situation was enormous," explained Karren Brady.

Flamengo is set to face Internacional this Sunday (17), at 6:30 pm (Brasília time), at Beira-Rio, for the 20th round of the Brasileirão. Despite having the Libertadores in the middle of the week, Mais Querido will go with considerable strength , but with some changes to preserve athletes.

The confirmed lineup for Filipe Luís' Flamengo includes: Rossi; Varela, Léo Ortiz, Léo Pereira and Ayrton Lucas; Jorginho, Allan and Arrascaeta; Luiz Araújo, Everton Cebolinha and Pedro.

ARRASCAETA AND PEDRO WIN A PLACE

One of the highlights is the return of Arrascaeta, who served a suspension in the Libertadores and is available to start the match. In attack, Pedro resumes his starting role , after starting on the bench in the last international match.

DEFAULTS AND RETURNS

Among the absences, Mengão will be without Erick Pulgar, who is still recovering from foot surgery and is not expected to return until October. Filipe Luís, on the other hand, will once again have Michael and De La Cruz available on the bench as options for the rest of the match.

Internacional vs. Flamengo will be played at 6:30 p.m. at Beira-Rio Stadium in Porto Alegre , opening the second round of the Brasileirão. The match will be broadcast exclusively on Premiere (pay-per-view). The match is crucial for Mengão, which is looking to maintain its lead in the national competition.

Flamengo returns to the field this Sunday (17) to face Internacional, at Beira-Rio, for the 20th round of the Brazilian Championship. Rubro-Negro seeks to maintain the leadership of Série A after beating Mirassol 2-1, at Maracanã, while Colorado tries to get going after the 3-1 victory over Red Bull Bragantino.

In the table, stands at the top with 40 points, while Internacional occupies 11th place with 24 points. Recent head-to-head records also favor the leader: in the last five rounds, Filipe Luís 's team has four wins and one draw, compared to three wins, one draw, and one loss for the Gauchos.

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PROBABLE LINEUPS

INTERNATIONAL: Rochet; Benítez, Vitão (Clayton Sampaio), Victor Gabriel (Juninho) and Bernabei; Richard, Alan Rodríguez (Bruno Henrique), Vitinho, Bruno Tabata and Gustavo Prado; Borré (Ricardo Mathias). Coach: Roger Machado

FLAMENGO: Rossi; Varela, Leo Ortiz (Danilo), Leo Pereira and Ayrton Lucas; Allan, Saul, Arrascaeta (Carrascal); Everton Cebolinha, Luiz Araujo and Pedro. Coach: Filipe Luis