A French journalist has made an astonishing claim about the speed of a Lucas Paqueta move to Man City after ‘positive talks’ with West Ham.
Fans awoke this morning to rumours that Manchester City want to sign West Ham star Lucas Paqueta.
Earlier today on Hammers News we feared there was no smoke without fire after Man City became the third mega rich club – after Newcastle and PSG – to be linked with Paqueta following a change of agents at the start of the summer transfer window.
Supporters feared their Brazilian magnifico might be looking for a Hammers exit after leaving the agents who brokered his £51m record move to West Ham last summer.
But they were somewhat reassured when Paqueta appeared to make a statement over his future by changing his shirt number from 11 to the iconic number 10.
French journalist’s astonishing claim about speed of Lucas Paqueta move to Man City after ‘positive talks’ with West Ham
Further reassurance arrived when Paqueta then appeared as the main man in the club’s announcement videos for the new away kit.
And at the start of the month Paqueta labelled a claim from talkSPORT’s Alex Crook that he is unhappy at West Ham as ‘fake news’.
But the rate at which the new links to Man City have developed in less than 24 hours has been alarming for West Ham fans.
A West Ham board confidant claimed earlier that Paqueta’s intermediaries have been hawking him out to Premier League clubs this summer.
Now a French journalist has made an astonishing claim about the speed of a potential Paqueta move to Man City after ‘positive talks’ with West Ham.
Foot Mercato’s Santi Aouna – who was a leading reporter on Paqueta’s move from Lyon to West Ham last year – has exclusively claimed that Paqueta could be a Man City player as soon as the weekend.
‘Man City are confident to close and seal Paqueta deal in the next days’
Sky Sports stated earlier that West Ham had rejected an initial approach of around £70m for Paqueta.
But Aouna says Man City are ‘confident’ of sealing the deal, that negotiations with West Ham are ‘progressing well’ and the player has ‘already said yes’ to the champions.
“Manchester City are confident to close and seal Lucas Paqueta deal in the next days,” Aouna said.
“Negotiations are progressing well with West Ham.
“Paqueta midfielder has already said yes to join Manchester City.”
Life comes at you fast as a West Ham fan.
It was just last month many Hammers supporters were willing their captain and talisman Declan Rice to join Man City over Arsenal.
Now the man whose presence in the claret and blue had softened the blow of that departure looks – according to this report at least – likely to end up at the Etihad instead.
West Ham had better have some big and exciting transfer plans up their sleeve if they do let Paqueta leave.
Because patience is wearing seriously thin among the fanbase.