Man City agreement with Prem star dismissed as reason transfer ‘played down’ ahead of ‘expected’ move revealed

Reports that Lucas Paqueta has agreed to join Manchester City are reportedly premature, and while the move is to be ‘expected’, transfer talk will be ‘played down’ for a big reason.

It has looked for some time as if Paqueta is going to become City’s next big signing from within the Premier League. In recent seasons, Pep Guardiola has deprived smaller sides of talents such as Jack Grealish, Kalvin Phillips and Matheus Nunes.

Of that trio, Grealish has done the best, Phillips has failed spectacularly, and Nunes is yet to reach the heights it would have been expected he would.

As such, City will want Paqueta to blow them all out of the water with his performances if he moves to the Etihad.

Interest from the Premier League champions was evident in the summer, with reports of bids being lodged.

But Paqueta was then investigated for illegal betting activity, and that stopped any potential move in its tracks.

But no charges have been brought upon the midfielder, who has continued to star for West Ham, with eight goals and 11 assists in all competitions this season – including four Europa League goals, helping his side through to the quarter-finals.

City’s persistent desire to land him seemed to have been highlighted by a report that they have agreed personal terms with the midfielder, or more so that their agreement with him in the summer remains in place.

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Paqueta agreement does not exist

However, GIVEMESPORT have detailed that agreement in fact does not exist.

They state reports of an agreement are ‘premature’ at least.

On top of that, it’s stated a move to City will be ‘played down publicly’ until the end of the season, with both the Manchester outfit and West Ham having a lot of important football still to play.

City have the chance at repeating their treble from last season – they’re a point behind both Arsenal and Liverpool in the Premier League, in the FA Cup semi-finals and the Champions League quarter-finals.

The aforementioned Europa League quarter-finals represents a chance for West Ham to win a European trophy two seasons on the bounce after winning the Europa Conference League last term, while they will also be aiming to improve upon their seventh-placed standing in the league.

Paqueta move ‘expected’

But while it’s not going to be confirmed any time soon, it seems Paqueta is going to become a City player at some point.

Indeed, GMS state the deal is one we ‘should expect’ after City remained in the market for him after the summer.

It was apparently ‘always anticipated’ that they’d go back in for the Brazilian, and that’s little surprise given how good he was last season and has continued to be this term.

The move is apparently set to cost City £86million, with Paqueta’s West Ham release clause of that figure coming into play at the end of the season.

If he continues in his current vein of form when he gets through the door at the Etihad, City will not be too bothered at all regarding the midfielder’s price tag.

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