City granted approval to finalize £60m agreement for fellow Premier League team, according to report
Manchester City is looking to bolster their midfield with the potential signing of Lucas Paqueta from West Ham United. The 27-year-old Brazilian midfielder, known for his creativity and technical skills, has been linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium to fill the creative void left by Kevin De Bruyne's departure.
According to recent reports, Manchester City could sign Paqueta for around £30 million this summer. This is a significant drop from an earlier high valuation of £80 million. West Ham is reportedly ready to sell him for this reduced fee, making it an attractive deal for City. Transfermarkt values him at about €28 million (roughly £24 million), but West Ham has been demanding between £50 million and £60 million previously—now it appears the price is closer to the £30 million mark.
Pep Guardiola is still facing uncertain aspects in his team, particularly in defence and midfield. The manager is looking to ease Rodri back into the side following an ACL injury and find a way to replace De Bruyne's output. City has already made several moves this summer, with Vitor Reis and Claudio Echeverri edging closer to loan exits, and Ederson and Ilkay Gundogan potentially leaving.
Manchester City has already added to their midfield with the signings of Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Sverre Nypan, and James Trafford this summer. However, it seems that Paqueta could be a valuable addition to the squad.
It's worth mentioning that the £100 million move of Lucas Paqueta to Manchester City in August 2023 was cancelled due to betting rule breaches investigations by the FA and FIFA. However, Paqueta has since been cleared of these charges.
In the role of recruitment head at Manchester City, Txiki Begiristain has been replaced by Hugo Viana. Begiristain officially left his role this week. It remains to be seen if Viana will push for a deal for Paqueta, but at this stage of the transfer window, there seems to be less interest from City without a major sale.
West Ham United is reportedly "open to renewed interest" for Lucas Paqueta, indicating that a deal could potentially be on the table. City could potentially increase their summer spending to over £200 million with another transfer.
The European leagues are abuzz with reports of Manchester City's potential signing of Lucas Paqueta from West Ham United, as the Premier League champions seek to fill the creative void left by Kevin De Bruyne's departure. Amidst the ongoing transfer speculation, City could strike a deal for Paqueta at around £30 million this summer, significantly lower than his previous high valuation. If the deal materializes, Paqueta's sports analysis suggests he could emerge as a valuable addition to City's midfield, complementing their existing summer signings in the same position.
