EXCLUSIVE: Man City warn West Ham over Paqueta transfer

Manchester City are ready to drop their interest in West Ham star Lucas Paqueta, FootballTransfers can reveal.

The Brazil international is still a player of interest to Man City but they want a resolution over the gambling issues hanging over the player before committing to a deal for him.

If there is no resolution, Pep Guardiola’s side are ready to start exploring other targets more seriously, with several different sources confirming that Bayern Munich’s Serge Gnabry is a player of significant interest to the Etihad club.

Everything is in place for the Paqueta to move to Man City, FootballTransfers understands. The player has agreed personal terms while there is also an accord over the transfer fee between the clubs.

Paqueta deal stalls

City have been tracking Paqueta for some months, but the suspicions over the 26-year-old have seen the Champions League winners’ interest in the player stall.

The FA is conducting an enquiry into suspicious betting activities relating to wagers over the midfielder to get a yellow card in various Premier League games. These bets were placed within Brazil and are said to have originated from an address near Paqueta’s hometown near Rio.

Paqueta has denied any wrongdoing while there is no suggestion that he himself placed any bets on the yellow cards.

City are reticent to move for the player while these claims hang over him, with the Premier League champions frustrated at how slowly the process is moving forward.

There is a sense that if no resolution is found before the end of the January transfer window, they will begin to look at other options.

Paqueta is free to play for West Ham while this simmers in the background, and he has been producing the goods on the field, with five goals and an assist in the 17 matches across all competitions that he has played so far this season.