Lucas Paqueta provides update on West Ham future amid growing interest from Manchester City

Manchester City transfer target Lucas Paqueta has issued a fresh update on his West Ham future amid growing interest from Etihad Stadium officials.

Etihad Stadium officials are understood to be in the market for a new midfielder during the upcoming summer window as they look to come to terms with the likely exit of Bernardo Silva, and the age of Kevin De Bruyne.

The Portuguese international has been eyeing a move away from Manchester City for the last three seasons, with Barcelona widely viewed as his most likely destination. However, the La Liga giants have thus far been unable to finance an appropriate offer.

In the meantime, City will continue to pull together contingency plans, with a move for West Ham United’s Lucas Paqueta expected to develop in the coming weeks and months, providing the Football Association conclude their investigation into gambling allegations.

The interest from Txiki Begiristain, Pep Guardiola, and their Manchester City colleagues has now been put to Paqueta himself, despite West Ham continuing their pursuit of a top-six finish in the Premier League this season.

Speaking specifically on interest from Manchester City ahead of the upcoming summer transer window, Lucas Paquetá explained to Joao Castelo-Branco, as translated and relayed by Fabrizio Romano, “That stuff is from last summer window.”

Paqueta continued, “Now it’s time to finish the season and see what happens. I’m very happy at West Ham, I can’t lie. And I also also massive respect for the club.”

Manchester City are likely to be exploring a number of other options simultaneously in the run-up to the summer market reopening for 2024, with Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes among such profiles under consideration.

From further afield, the likes of Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala and Joshua Kimmich are expected to be considered for various roles within Manchester City’s midfield, with the financial outlay from the Etihad Stadium expected to be substantial.