Manchester City in ‘advanced’ talks with West Ham United as Lucas Paqueta transfer now ‘likely’ to go through
Manchester City are in “advanced negotiations” with West Ham on a deal to sign Lucas Paqueta this summer, according to Foot Mercato.
The French outlet reported on their website Wednesday evening (9 August) that after an offer of €80million [£69m] was turned down from the Etihad the two sides have since reached an advanced stage and the deal was “likely to go to the end”.
Foot Mercato’s Santi Aouna added via Twitter that the English and European champions are “confident to close” the deal for the Brazilian, 25, as early as “in the next days” with Paqueta already having “said yes” to City.
West Ham now face losing their record signing on top of their other big-money attacker from a year ago and their star captain in one window, with Gianluca Scamacca’s move to Atalanta confirmed on Monday and Rice having sealed an Arsenal move earlier this summer respectively.
The Hammers are reluctant to let Paqueta go but he is thought to be unimpressed by the situation at the club amid the struggles to to replace the former captain and wants to play for Pep Guardiola.
Slipping away?
After growing into his role at the London Stadium last season following a slow start under David Moyes the Brazil international would have been in line to be a key man for the Scot this season.
The departure of Rice is only just being remedied in the final days before the new Premier League campaign kicks off, with James Ward-Prowse now on the way to join Edson Alvarez in the middle.
But with Manuel Lanzini now at River Plate, Scamacca having secured his escape back to Serie A, and Michail Antonio trying to finally get a move that he has been linked to for multiple windows, the attacking firepower is looking thin.
So it is all very well West Ham looking to get a huge fee for Paqueta, and by the looks of things it is going to represent a hefty profit one season on from his £51m arrival, but in light of how long it has taken the club to turn the Rice money into replacements there won’t be huge confidence in them doing the same again.
If the former Lyon man is set to join Guardiola in Manchester it will further weaken a squad that almost got relegated last term, with the Europa Conference League triumph which he was central to glossing over the previous failings.
It might make up for the loss made on Scamacca’s sale, but while the books may be looking healthier this summer the actual playing staff is in a lot more doubt with just over three weeks left of the transfer window.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers have issued a transfer demand as two other Premier League clubs try to sign a long-term favourite.