Jack Gaughan provides promising update on Manchester City’s pursuit of West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta

Manchester City have been boosted in their hopes of recruiting Lucas Paqueta this summer following the latest update on the player’s stance on a potential move.

Links to Paqueta come at a time when the Premier League champions have been widely linked with a number of options in the central midfield positions, as Pep Guardiola looks to brace himself for like without the likes of Bernardo Silva.

The Portugal international playmaker has long been linked with an exit from Manchester City as he seeks a different culture from that on offer in the north-west of England, with Barcelona long-linked as a potential destination.

However, with the Catalan club unable to provide the financial package desired by Etihad Stadium bosses, Bernardo Silva once again remained at the club into the ongoing season, and signed a new contract in the process.

As a new market edges closer, a new update as been delivered on Manchester City’s admiration for West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta, as the club continue to prepare themselves for a scenario where the market shuts and Bernardo Silva is no longer a Sky Blue star.

According to the information of Jack Gaughan, writing in his latest edition of MailSport’s Man City Notebook, West Ham and Brazil midfielder Lucas Paqueta remains open to a switch to the north of England this summer.

That follows a collapsed move to City last summer following the emergence of an FA investigation into alleged betting breaches. MailSport report that while there are ‘noises’ that the probe is ‘reaching a close’, the FA remain ‘tight-lipped’ and Paqueta is ‘still in the dark’.

Nevertheless, it is detailed that Manchester City officials are ‘willing to wait’ for Paqueta, who is seen as an ‘obvious long-term replacement’ for Bernardo Silva once the Portuguese ends his stay at the Etihad Stadium amid ongoing uncertainty over his intentions.

The 26-year-old playmaker has once again been at the centre of any West Ham brilliance this season, as the Hammers face an enticing UEFA Europa League quarter-final tie against Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen.

With 33 appearances across all competitions to his name so far this season, Lucas Paqueta has managed to provide seven goals and six assists, while West Ham currently sit 7th in the Premier League table heading into the business end of the season.

Should Manchester City look to once again solidify their interest in Paqueta with a summer bid, Etihad bosses are likely to have to sanction a transfer fee north of £80 million, such is the importance of the Brazilian to David Moyes’ operation.