- EXCLUSIVE from Graeme Bailey
Manchester City are determined to sign Lucas Paqueta from Premier League rivals West Ham United in the summer transfer window, HITC understands.
Sources have told HITC that Manchester City fully intend on making a new bid for West Ham United attacking midfielder Lucas Paqueta this summer.
Pep Guardiola wants West Ham United star Lucas Paqueta at Manchester City
City manager Pep Guardiola is a huge fan of the Brazil international playmaker and wants to bring the 26-year-old to the Etihad Stadium.
The Citizens, who won the Premier League, the UEFA Champions League and the FA Cup last season and want to do a deal for Girona star Savio, tried to sign Paqueta in the summer of 2023, but the deal faltered when the Football Association revealed they were investigating suspicious betting patterns of yellow cards.
The FA were investigating claims that suggested bets were placed in Brazil and had some links to the West Ham star – something which he has dismissed.
The FA has yet to deliver any ruling, but HITC understands that Paqueta insists that he has never placed a bet in his life and has provided all evidence to the investigation including phones and computers.
Paqueta’s camp were left infuriated at being denied a move to City last summer and they are now pushing the FA to announce their results as they are determined to make sure they don’t impact on his future again.
Lucas Paqueta is rated very highly
The 26-year-old has been on the books of West Ham since the summer of 2022 when he joined from Lyon and has been one of the best players for the Hammers during his time at London Stadium so far.
Paqueta has made 46 appearances in the Premier League for the Hammers so far. He has scored six goals and given eight assists in those games.
Manchester United legend Paul Scholes rates Paqueta highly and has previously compared him to former Red Devils star Eric Cantona, noting that the Brazilian is good enough to play for any top club in the world.
Scholes said about Paqueta on TNT Sports 1 (2:49 pm, December 23, 2023): “He is so impressive. He can do everything, can’t he? The big thing that has surprised me is his physicality.
“The size of him, he is a right unit. He almost reminds me of Cantona in that way that somebody who just bounces off him.
“But to go with that, he has also got a brilliant quality. Jarrod Bowen and Kudus must be licking their lips every time he gets the ball. ‘We are going to make runs and we are going to be found by the brilliance that he produces’.”
When asked about his future, Scholes said: “With performances like that (against Manchester United), I think there would be big clubs who would want him. Of course, they will.
“No disrespect to West Ham. I know that they are a big club, but when you are talking about Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Barcelona, you can see him playing in those teams because the lad has real quality.”
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