Has the chance for Manchester City to sign a West Ham star just gone up in smoke? | OneFootball

It would appear that any chance of Manchester City signing West Ham star Lucas Paqueta this summer may have ended. The Brazilian international has been the subject of an ongoing FA betting investigation since last summer. Matt Hughes has reported for Daily Mail that the West Ham star has now been charged by the FA with allegedly breaching betting rules. This will likely scupper Manchester City’s plans of moving for the Brazilian international.

The champions have long been interested in signing Paqueta as reported by Ryan Walker for the Daily Mail. It was reported by Walker that City would move for Paqueta if he was cleared in the betting investigation. But that situation appears to have changed, given that Paqueta has now been charged with allegedly breaching betting rules.

The breaking news on Lucas Paqueta will likely force Manchester City elsewhere in the summer transfer window.

As a player, Lucas Paqueta appeared ideally suited to a role in Pep Guardiola’s squad. His technical ability, versatility, and playmaking ability looked like a perfect match for the Manchester City squad. Those attributes coupled with his proven pedigree and experience made him the ideal target for the world champions.

But with the threat of a large suspension hanging over Paqueta’s head, it will likely see Manchester City end their interest in the West Ham star. Recently, Ivan Toney and Sandro Tonali received lengthy bans for betting offences. It is highly unlikely that Manchester City would invest a sizable transfer fee in a player that could face a lengthy ban. The Brazilian international released a statement on today’s announcement which can be seen below.

It appears that the opportunity for Manchester City to sign Lucas Paqueta has likely ended. The champions are likely now to move on to other targets in the summer transfer window.