Guardiola back in for Paqueta
Pep Guardiola still desires to sign Lucas Paqueta from West Ham, as indicated by various sources based in Manchester. Many had hoped that Manchester City had abandoned their pursuit of the Brazilian permanently, particularly after allegations of betting irregularities surfaced. The FA investigation into Paqueta is still ongoing, and the longer it persists, the better, as far as I’m concerned.
Let’s face it; without the hint of corruption, West Ham would likely struggle to retain a player of Paqueta’s calibre.
Guardiola had initially identified Paqueta as a stand-in or replacement for the injured Kevin De Bruyne. City withdrew from the deal for Paqueta once it became apparent that the West Ham player was facing disciplinary issues. However, reports from the Manchester media now suggest that Manchester City might rekindle their interest and approach West Ham with a renewed bid in January.
Whether this signals newfound confidence that Paqueta will be acquitted remains uncertain. However, if any offer is presented, I would anticipate it to be significantly below the player’s market value, given the recent controversy.
Then we wouldn’t sell. The market value is what we would accept and the value he is to our club.