West Ham United are expecting Manchester City to make a move agains for Lucas Paqueta.
The Premier League champions decided to sign the Brazilian midfielder last summer but they had to call off their move after the player was being investigated for breaching betting rules.
The Hammers expect Pep Guardiola to make a move for Paqueta again if he is cleared by the FA of betting rule breaches.
West Ham are prepared to lose their star player
According to the Football Insider, the Manchester club is still hopeful of signing the Brazilian playmaker.
West Ham won’t obstruct Paqueta’s path if their asking price is satisfied, an informed source told Football Insider, because they are aware of his desire to depart.
Man City are expected to make an £80million move again for the player, the same as they did last summer.
With three years remaining on his contract at the London Stadium, the former Lyon midfielder is right up there with some of the top players in the Premier League, so £80 million seems like a reasonable price for him to potentially leave in the summer.
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Throughout the 2023–24 campaign, the Brazilian has made 33 appearances in all competitions, with seven goals and six assists.
This season, he has mostly played on the left wing for David Moyes’ team, but he can also be used as an offensive midfielder.
Man City would benefit from his versatility, and Guardiola would be thrilled to have a player with such adaptability.
The Brazilian international can play for elite teams around Europe and it would not be a surprise to see a bigger club steal him away from the Hammers sooner rather than later.