West Ham United: Manchester City stance on Lucas Paqueta shared amid Bernardo Silva development
West Ham ace Lucas Paqueta remains a target for Manchester City ahead of the summer transfer window, according to The Standard.
The publication’s online edition reported on Friday [23 February] that City consider Paqueta a player who could thrive under Pep Guardiola.
City have been interested in the Brazilian for a number of transfer windows, but they could finally make a move this summer if Bernardo Silva leaves.
Bernardo is said to be a target for Saudi Pro League clubs, while Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have also previously been linked.
Lucas Paqueta’s FA investigation ongoing
Had it not been for the FA investigation into potential betting-rule breaches, Paqueta may well already have been a Manchester City player.
There was talk last summer of the European champions potentially meeting West Ham’s £80million valuation.
As pointed out in this report, selling Paqueta for that fee would be a “significant profit” on the £50m or so United paid to sign him in August 2022.
That aforementioned FA investigation has still not been concluded, yet City may not care should Bernardo move on in the summer.
West Ham recovered well – initially, at least – to losing Declan Rice last summer and there is no reason the same cannot be true with Paqueta.
However, Paqueta’s absence from the side has showed how ordinary the Irons can look at times without him linking play in the final third.
Unfortunately, it seems inevitable that these rumours will only grow and grow the closer we get to the summer transfer window opening.
In other West Ham news, a David Moyes to Celtic suggestion was mooted live on talkSPORT.
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