West Ham United: Result of FA and FIFA investigation into Lucas Paqueta emerges as Manchester City transfer view shared
Manchester City will likely be in for Lucas Paqueta again next summer and he'll probably be on his way out of West Ham, according to Graeme Bailey.
The HITC journalist reported on 18 January that he will not be guilty of the investigations related to his alleged betting scandal.
This should pave the way for a transfer and the Citizens are expected to lure the Brazil international to the Etihad Stadium.
Bailey told Manchester City News: “I am told he is not guilty. He will be cleared, so he has basically been denied a move to Manchester City in the last two windows. If he was clear now, I think Man City would have gone in for him.
“I firmly believe that Man City will be back in for him in the summer. I will be very surprised if he’s not a Man City player next season.”
Unlikely
The Citizens' renewed pursuit of Paqueta seems unlikely due to Pep Guardiola's transfer strategy.
Guardiola typically finalises his transfer targets within specific windows and failure to secure Paqueta previously resulted in the signing of Matheus Nunes.
Additionally, the Spaniard has transformed Rico Lewis, a right-back who operates in midfield and John Stones, a centre-back with similar versatility.
With these recent additions and changes, City may opt not to invest in Paqueta, considering their squad depth and tactical options.
This scenario would likely be welcomed by West Ham fans, as retaining Paqueta would be a boost for the team's midfield strength.
There was a legitimate fear over the summer that along with Declan Rice, the Brazilian would leave as well but that, fortunately, did not happen and Paqueta has excelled in his new left-wing role this term.
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