Flamengo have verbally agreed a deal with West Ham to buy Lucas Paquetá without having to loan back the Brazil international. The fee is expected to be between £36m and £40m and the Premier League club are awaiting a formal offer.

West Ham initially insisted they would sell Paquetá only if he returned for the rest of the season to help their fight to avoid relegation. Paquetá, though, is desperate to return to Brazil and Flamengo want him as soon as possible.

Paquetá has grown disillusioned with life in England since being accused of spot-fixing by the Football Association. He was cleared of the charges by an independent disciplinary commission last summer but has made it clear that he wants to leave West Ham during this transfer window. The former Lyon player has missed West Ham’s past three games. He is nursing a minor back injury.

Nuno Espírito Santo, West Ham’s manager, has been saying he believes Paquetá will play for the club again but figures within West Ham concluded the best solution was to grant the 28-year-old his wish to go home. The Hammers, who are five points below 17th-placed Nottingham Forest, remain in talks with Fulham over a deal for Adama Traoré.

Selling Paquetá would give West Ham funds to reinforce their squad. They have spent up to £47.5m on the strikers Pablo Felipe and Taty Castellanos. Nuno wants to bring in a goalkeeper, a defender and a midfielder.

A replacement is needed for the Argentina midfielder Guido Rodríguez, who is joining Valencia after agreeing to terminate his contract by mutual consent. Nuno believes that West Ham, whose mood has lifted after three consecutive wins in all competitions, need to rebalance his squad after years of poor recruitment.