Lucas Paqueta places Premier League clubs on red alert with West Ham transfer admission

Premier League clubs including Manchester City and Aston Villa have received word from Lucas Paqueta that he would potentially welcome a departure from West Ham when the summer transfer window opens. Paqueta has been consistently linked with City across recent transfer windows as Pep Guardiola continues his search for fresh talent capable of enhancing his squad.

Their initial pursuit of the midfielder collapsed after the Blues were rattled by the FA's four match-fixing allegations against the 28-year-old. The accusations suggested the midfielder deliberately sought yellow cards in four Premier League fixtures between November 2022 and August 2023. These charges remained unsubstantiated, though, and have since been withdrawn.

With that matter now resolved for the Brazilian, speculation emerged during the summer window that Paqueta would pursue an exit from the Hammers, who have endured recent difficulties. Yet, following his strike against Nottingham Forest ahead of deadline day, it seemed the midfielder was committing his future to the east London outfit.

Whilst Paqueta remains determined to support the Irons throughout this campaign, the 28-year-old has now established a timeline for his West Ham career, positioning City perfectly to strike should they choose to pursue him. Posting on Instagram on Thursday evening, the midfielder penned: "It's about choosing those who welcomed you, who never judged you, who believed in you until the very last moment, who loved you and made you feel at home.

"It's about staying loyal not only when you had everything, but also when there was nothing... It's not time to say goodbye yet! Let's go together for one more season."

The suggestion is that Paqueta will seek to depart West Ham at the conclusion of this present campaign, though that may hinge entirely on whether he experiences a successful spell under Graham Potter's management or not. A summer transfer for Paqueta presents complications for any club wishing to sign the midfielder.

Paqueta is set to represent Brazil at next summer's World Cup so the timeframe to enter negotiations with him is shorter than usual. Players have also been known to boost their value exponentially during a major international tournament and any interested clubs could see West Ham's asking price rise depending on what happens in the United States, Mexico and Canada next summer.