Author: Shreyas Sharma
In a surprising twist, sources close to the situation have revealed that Manchester City are eyeing a possible signing of West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta. Although a formal offer has not yet been made, it is known that Paqueta has caught the eye of City’s scouting team and is considered an important candidate for signing.
Manchester City’s pursuit of Paquetá is believed to be a separate issue from the ongoing speculation about Bernardo Silva‘s future. Although Silva has expressed his desire to explore new challenges away from the Etihad Stadium, inside sources indicate that the Premier League champions are increasingly confident of keeping the 28-year-old Portuguese midfielder. Notably, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and even the Saudi Pro League have shown interest in Silva, but City seem ready to offer him a contract extension.
Lucas Paquetá, on the other hand, is at the center of a possible transfer saga. West Ham value the Brazilian midfielder at more than £70 million (US$89.4 million), a substantial sum that reflects his contributions to the team. West Ham’s reluctance to part with Paquetá was accentuated by the recent departure of Declan Rice to Arsenal during the summer transfer window. Paqueta’s arrival at West Ham in 2022, following a £50 million transfer from Lyon, has already paid off, with his key role in the team winning the European Conference League trophy in his debut season at the London Stadium.
The 25-year-old’s journey to West Ham has been a well-traveled one, including spells at renowned clubs such as AC Milan and Flamengo. He also earned the distinction of representing Brazil on the global stage as part of the national team at the Qatar World Cup.
Manchester City’s midfield has already undergone changes during this transfer window, most notably with the acquisition of Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea for 30 million pounds. Kovacic’s arrival coincided with Ilkay Gundogan ‘s departure to Barcelona on a free transfer, marking a change in City’s midfield landscape. In addition, the club’s coffers were boosted by the £30 million transfer of Riyad Mahrez to Al Ahli.
In a separate development, Manchester City have reason to be optimistic about defender Kyle Walker ‘s future at the club. Despite interest from Bayern Munich, sources indicate that the 33-year-old is inclined to reject outside advances and opt for a new two-year contract extension with the Etihad outfit.
With the defense of the Premier League title looming, Manchester City are ready to start the season by visiting Burnley on Friday. As the transfer window continues to unfold, all eyes will be on the possible acquisition of Lucas Paqueta and the narratives unfolding around the club’s players and their future endeavors.