Man City in talks over £85m ‘last resort’ as personal terms agreed with top target
Manchester City are reportedly in talks with West Ham over the fee required to sign Lucas Paqueta this summer, with the Brazilian ready to join the Premier League giants.
Pep Guardiola’s side attempted to sign Paqueta last summer but the deal fell through amid the possibility of the 26-year-old being sanctioned for breaking betting rules.
Personal terms agreed
City landed Matheus Nunes from Wolves instead, but that move has reaped little reward, and their interest in Paqueta has remained.
It’s been claimed that City and Paqueta have already come to an agreement on personal terms, and transfer expert Rudy Galetti has revealed City are now in talks with West Ham over the fee required to land the playmaker.
He wrote on X: ‘Talks ongoing between #ManCity and #WestHam for Lucas #Paqueta: the clubs are discussing the amount of the possible move in the summer. The player is keen to join #MCFC: no issue on personal terms.’
A ‘last resort’ for City
It’s thought the Hammers are demanding City activate Paqueta’s £85m release claused if they want to land him this summer, though Foot Mercato claim City will only match that fee as ‘a last resort’.
City hoped Kalvin Phillips’ loan may have been made permanent to offset some of the cost for Paqueta, but West Ham are highly unlikely to offer the England international a contract given his displays for them since his January switch.
Paqueta may well be a replacement for Bernardo Silva, who’s been heavily linked with an exit for the past two seasons.
A report earlier this month claimed Silva is looking to leave in the summer because he’s ‘not happy with the weather in England’.
Barcelona’s Joao Felix is a good friend of Silva and his Portugal international team-mate reckons he’s convinced the Man City attacker to move to the Catalan giants in the summer.
Felix said: “If Bernardo Silva comes, I’m going to ask for a commission (laughs). Everything I have said is true and if he comes they will be delighted with him. He asked me about places to live, places to eat, about safety… He asked me a little about everything. Whether I have convinced him? I think so, I think so.”
READ MORE: Manchester City once again left ruing lack of knockout punch as Real Madrid eke out shootout win
