West Ham midfielder Lucas Paquetá is highly likely to join Manchester City this summer — if he is acquitted of the FA’s betting charges.
As Claret & Hugh first reported back in February, the Brazilian’s move to Pep Guardiola’s side is very much back on, with growing confidence that he will be cleared of any wrongdoing. Should that happen, a move to Manchester City — originally planned for 2023 — is expected to go ahead.
West Ham were on the verge of selling Paquetá last summer, with City close to activating his £80m release clause. However, the deal collapsed after the FA announced it was launching an investigation into betting irregularities involving the player.
When Claret & Hugh asked a top transfer insider if City still planned to reignite their interest, the response was telling: “It never went away.”
The source added: “West Ham won’t get £80m for the player now, but he’ll still go for a decent fee.”
A former Manchester City player, who asked not to be named, told Claret & Hugh: “Man City are serious. There has been an offer on the table for some time. Let’s see what happens with the hearing, but he could be at the Etihad next season.”
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