Lucas Paqueta appeared poised to join Manchester City over the summer as the club’s latest signing under manager Pep Guardiola.
The West Ham United midfielder seemed destined for a move to City after a reported £80 million deal was reportedly agreed in principle. However, the transfer was ultimately called off following an investigation by the Football Association (FA) into alleged betting breaches, which Paqueta vehemently denies.
Paqueta recently faced what could have been his prospective employers when Manchester City played against West Ham at the London Stadium. City came from behind to secure a 3-1 victory in that match.
During the match between West Ham United and Manchester City, James Ward-Prowse gave David Moyes’s side the lead going into halftime, but Jeremy Doku, a summer signing for City, equalized for the visitors just a minute into the second half.
Bernardo Silva then put City in the lead with 15 minutes to go, and Erling Haaland added a third goal for City before the end of the match.
Lucas Paqueta, who had been linked with a move to Manchester City, started the game against the Treble winners. During the match, he approached the City bench to greet manager Pep Guardiola and exchanged a hug with him, demonstrating that they remain on good terms despite the proposed transfer for the Brazilian international not coming to fruition.
While the move did not materialize in the summer, there is always the possibility that it could be revisited in the January transfer window, although City may face competition for Paqueta’s signature.
According toFichajes, Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United are considering making a swoop worth £52 million for Paqueta’s services in January.
However, it remains to be seen if that would be enough to tempt the Hammers into a sale, given that City agreed a deal worth £80 million for Paqueta over the summer.
And given Paqueta’s warm relations with Guardiola, there is always the chance that he may well favour a move to City over Newcastle if given the choice and the chance of a transfer rears its head again.
Nah Paqueta is desperate 😭pic.twitter.com/lWBob91EcU
— 𝐄𝐑 (@ErlingRoIe) September 17, 2023