West Ham rocked as Man City bid £70m for talisman they’ll struggle to keep

Man City have reportedly tabled a £70m bid for a West Ham ace, and two top sources have confirmed their interest is concrete.

The Hammers have already lost arguably their best player in the form of Declan Rice this summer. A deal totalling £105m ensured West Ham were well rewarded when selling to Arsenal, and much of that money is now being put to good use.

Indeed, Edson Alvarez will be Rice’s direct replacement to the tune of £35m. Elsewhere, the Daily Mail and Athletic both confirm a move tipped to cost £32m is being accelerated for Southampton captain, James Ward-Prowse.

However, West Ham fans will be dismayed to learn remarkable reports coming out of Brazil regarding Lucas Paqueta are not wide of the mark.

Indeed, Globo Esporte claimed through the night that Man City have bid £70m for the Brazil international.

Paqueta, 25, cost £51m (including future add-ons) when plucked from Lyon last summer. The classy midfielder shone in his first season in the capital and grew increasingly influential as the season wore on.

Losing Paqueta in the same window as Rice would be a bitter pill to swallow for David Moyes. But according to various sources, it’s a very real possibility.

Fabrizio Romano tweeted Man City have “concrete interest” in Paqueta before confirming talks between the club and player have already taken place.

Romano did offer one crumb of comfort when suggesting the deal “won’t be easy” to conclude for City. However, that’s not a view shared by the Guardian’s Jacob Steinberg.

Adding his take, Steinberg first acknowledged the Brazilian reports regarding City and Paqueta are “correct”.

Furthermore, Steinberg stated West Ham are “facing a battle” to retain Paqueta and noted it will be “difficult” to resist if Man City “push hard.”

On the subject of the player’s stance, Globo Esporte reported Paqueta ‘hopes that the negotiation will also be advantageous to the London team’.

In other words, he’s not against leaving, though hopes West Ham can make as big of a profit as possible if he does go.

Regarding West Ham’s options from here on out, Globo Esporte concluded West Ham will likely push for a higher fee if it becomes apparent Man City can’t be fended off.

READ MORE: Man Utd deal off, with West Ham to sign England ace Guardiola labelled the best he’s ever seen instead