WHAT HAPPENED? Despite the Brazilian having reportedly agreed a six-year contract with the Manchester club, Moyes told press ahead of Saturday’s trip to Bournemouth that City’s bid had been rejected.
WHAT THEY SAID: “We’ve had an offer from Manchester City, but at the moment it’s not anywhere near meeting our valuation” said the Scotsman.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: City’s bid is believed to be in the region of around £74m (€85m/$93m) plus add ons. West Ham’s valuation is reported to be in the region of around £95m (€110m/$121m) with no bonus clauses. Having extracted a handsome fee for their captain Declan Rice earlier in the summer, the Hammers will feel in a confident position regarding their remaining star midfielder.
AND WHAT’S MORE: Paqueta has already spoken with Pep Guardiola on how he fits into his plans at the Etihad, but the Hammers will be looking to at least double their money on the player they splashed out on last summer.
WHAT NEXT FOR WEST HAM AND PAQUETA? West Ham kick off their Premier League campaign with a trip to the south coast on Saturday afternoon against Bournemouth. Whether Lucas Paqueta features for the Hammers remains to be seen.
