Man City table £70m bid for West Ham star but the Hammers ‘hope to earn more’ from ‘possible sale’

Man City have made an offer of £70m for West Ham attacking midfielder Lucas Paqueta with the bid likely to be rejected, according to reports.

The Brazil international was one of the Hammers’ standout performers last season, contributing four goals and three assists in 28 Premier League matches.

Paqueta, who also helped West Ham win the Europa Conference League, joined David Moyes’ side from Ligue 1 outfit Lyon last summer for a reported £51m.

And his performances have now caught the eye of Pep Guardiola and his recruitment team at Man City with West Ham fans hoping they can keep him after already losing Declan Rice to Arsenal this summer.

Man City are looking for an attacking player to help them deal with the loss of Riyad Mahrez or in case Bernardo Silva leaves and now Brazilian outlet Globo claim that Man City have submitted a £70m bid for Paqueta.

West Ham ‘have yet to respond to the offer but are expected to decline and ask for a higher fee’ with the Hammers hoping to ‘earn more with a possible sale’ of the former Flamengo star.

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Guardiola’s interest in Paqueta – who was linked to Newcastle earlier in the transfer window – is ‘nothing new’ with the Spaniard having earmarked Paqueta as ‘an option’ last summer before his move to West Ham.

And transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has also brought an update on the Citizens’ interest in the Brazilian with talks taking place “this week”.

Romano wrote in his Caught Offside column: “Manchester City have concrete interest in Lucas Paquetá. Talks took place with West Ham this week. Not an easy negotiation but City have added him to summer targets list.”

West Ham are looking to spend some of the Declan Rice money with the Hammers working to sign Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse for around £32m

But former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson reckons Ward-Prowse could be better off staying at the Saints and trying to win promotion from the Championship.

Merson said on Sky Sports Soccer Saturday: “If I’m Ward-Prowse, you’re not gonna play for England you’re not playing for England anymore in my opinion, he didn’t play last year, I don’t think he gets in the team again, so does he go ‘you know what if everybody’s staying, I’ll stay’.

“You’re gonna go to West Ham, you’re talking about West Ham you’re not going to one of the top six. You go to West Ham you’re working on scraps. I mean you stay there, it’s a lovely season you’re winning every week everybody likes a winning team. I dropped down the league twice, Middlesbrough and Portsmouth, I loved it.”