Manchester City are said to have made a £70 million approach for West Ham United forward Lucas Paqueta.
The 25-year-old joined the Hammers from Lyon in August, and he appeared on 41 occasions for the club during the 2022-23 season, scoring five goals and registering seven assists.
Paqueta had one goal and four assists in 11 Europa Conference League matches as the capital club won the competition, while he had four goals and three assists in 28 Premier League appearances.
Upon his arrival, the Brazil international signed a five-year contract at the London Stadium, with his current terms extending until June 2027, with the option of an additional year.
Lucas Paqueta to Manchester City
According to Ge Globo, Man City have launched a £70 million bid for the attacker, with the triple champions considering him as a top target before the transfer window closes.
Paqueta began his professional career at Flamengo, where he played for three years before moving on to AC Milan, where he will spend the 2019-20 season.
The forward then played for Lyon between 2020 and 2022, appearing on 80 times for the French club, scoring 21 goals and contributing 13 assists.
West Ham’s signing of Paqueta came as a surprise given his international prominence, with one of the top European clubs largely expected to sign him from Lyon.
According to the Daily Mail, the Hammers are desperate to keep the playmaker this summer, thus £70 million seems unlikely to persuade the club to sell.
According to the source, West Ham are hesitant to lose Paqueta following Declan Rice’s move to Arsenal, but another sizable offer from Manchester City would be difficult to turn down.
Pep Guardiola’s team added two players during the summer transfer window: Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea and Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig.
Their main exits have been Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez, while Bernardo Silva is still widely linked with a move away from the Etihad Stadium.
Man City, who were defeated by Arsenal on penalties in the Community Shield on Sunday, are also being linked with a transfer for Brighton & Hove Albion attacker Kaoru Mitoma.
On Friday night, Guardiola’s team will begin their Premier League championship defence against Burnley.
For more Sports updates please follow us on Twitter
