Manchester City has shown interest in West Ham United’s Lucas Paqueta, who has an £85 million release clause in his contract, as reported by Fabrizio Romano.
City has been eyeing Paqueta since last year, seeing the Brazilian as a valuable addition to their squad. The midfielder has played a crucial role for West Ham, making 37 appearances and contributing seven assists along with eight goals.
Since joining West Ham in 2022, Paqueta has become a key player under David Moyes. The 26-year-old has also become a regular for the Brazilian national team, impressing with 10 goals and four assists in 44 appearances.
Despite having links with Paqueta, Manchester City opted to sign Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes last summer. However, City could activate his release clause for a significant summer transfer. Paqueta’s contract with West Ham runs until the end of the 2026–2027 season.
After Manchester City’s 3-3 draw against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on April 9, Rodri expressed feeling tired and possibly needing a break.
Ahead of City’s Premier League match against Luton Town on April 13, Guardiola hinted at the possibility of resting Rodri, saying (via the Man City website)
“A player will simply not play if he is not motivated to do so. There will be another participant.”
Guardiola added:
“Look at our games and you’ll see how crucial Rodri is to us for the quality he brings.”
Furthermore, Guardiola mentioned his intention to rest his central defenders, except for Rodri, due to the international breaks. Rodri has been a key player for City this season, featuring in 41 games across all competitions and contributing 12 assists and 8 goals.
