Manchester City is pursuing a midfield player valued at £85 million after Arsenal rejected him.

According to sources, midfielder Lucas Paqueta of Brazil and West Ham is nearing completion of a trade with Premier League winners Manchester City.

Following last summer, when Manchester City looked to the South American as they were coming to terms with Kevin De Bruyne’s long-term injury, interest in the 26-year-old has persisted.

But Manchester City pulled out of all talks and focused elsewhere once negotiations became difficult, along with the appearance of gambling accusations and an ongoing probe into the matter.

In the end, a substantial investment was made in Matheus Nunes, a Portuguese midfielder who had previously played for Wolverhampton Wanderers. In the first seven months of his career at Etihad Stadium, Nunes has shown flashes of his extraordinary skill.

In spite of Nunes’ hiring, City is still interested in Lucas Paqueta and, given the current state of affairs, could be close to signing the player in the upcoming days, weeks, or months.

Lucas Paqueta, a talented player for West Ham, has reportedly turned down “enquiries” from Premier League rivals Arsenal on his current circumstances and potential summer availability, according to information obtained by Manchester City insider “Tolmie’s Hairdoo” on X.

More information is provided, revealing that Paqueta has admitted to pals that he still “has his heart on a move” to Manchester City, where he will play under Pep Guardiola. The player is allegedly valued at £85 million, making this the “easiest” deal to close—assuming he is exonerated of any gambling-related charges.
A further status update from “Tolmie’s Hairdoo” said that Paqueta’s signature was now “clear” and that a transaction could now be considered a “Welcome to City,” sparking a social media frenzy.

This season, Lucas Paqueta has made a total of 29 appearances in all competitions. He has been one of West Ham’s best players, scoring five goals and dishing out another six assists.
Having only signed Paqueta in the summer of 2022 for a club record cost that was not disclosed at the time, the London Stadium team is relatively new to the game. According to later accounts, the deal was valued at over £50 million, not including add-ons.