Lucas Paqueta to Man City transfer latest - £86m release clause and Pep Guardiola reaction

Manchester City will likely search for a new midfielder this summer with Kalvin Phillips expected to be sold amid his drab loan spell at West Ham.

A current teammate of his, Lucas Paqueta, has been one name linked with the champions having impressed for the Hammers since his arrival in 2022. Pep Guardiola reportedly launched a pursuit of the midfielder but ended up pivoting to the less expensive Matheus Nunes of Wolves.

The Portugal playmaker cost almost £30m less than Paqueta was being priced at. Nunes has played 27 times this season, of which 15 have been starts, but has failed to build on his encouraging first few months.

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Recent reports suggest that Paqueta - contracted at West Ham until 2027 - has an £86m release clause and claim that the player has agreed provisional personal terms with the Treble winners.

Guardiola will need stronger numbers in the centre of the park going forward and Paqueta is one player who is said to have caught the eye - albeit there is one aspect that may dissuade City from making an approach. MEN Sport’s Man City reporter Joe Bray explains all.

Where did the Paqueta links first come from?

Joe Bray: When City decided they wanted a new midfielder in the summer after it became apparent that they actually did need a replacement for Ilkay Gundogan (and before Bernardo Silva signed a new contract), it seems there were three options; Lucas Paqueta, Eberechi Eze and Matheus Nunes.

Paqueta would have cost towards the £80m mark, Eze was valued at around £70m, while Nunes was eventually purchased for £53m.

What put Man City off a deal?

JB: It appears Paqueta was of significant interest, but news of his investigation into betting allegations was enough to see City move on to Nunes, given the risk of a lengthy ban was not one worth taking. Look at Newcastle and Sandro Tonali for the worst-case scenario.

Otherwise, why would City want Paqueta?

JB: Nunes has been okay, but hasn't set the world alight, and the decline of Phillips means there is another gap to fill in midfield. Kevin De Bruyne's age and injury problems are another justification to go into the market and buy an attacking midfielder. If City were to go back into the market for Paqueta, he has only kicked on from when they were last interested.

What else do we know?

JB: Guardiola called Paqueta over to the City bench at the London Stadium at the start of the season, and he shook hands with the Blues coaching staff before kick-off.