Man City, Real Madrid stars react to Paqueta’s message amid West Ham uncertainty
Lucas Paqueta’s latest message caught the attention of Man City and Real Madrid stars amid ongoing speculation around his West Ham future.
Pep Guardiola‘s side have previously been interested in the Brazilian playmaker, having impressed in moments since his £51million move from Lyon in 2022 [Sky Sports].
However, the 27-year-old is under investigation by the FA for multiple spot-fixing charges dating back to the 2022/23 campaign at the London Stadium, allegedly picking up yellow cards on purpose.
With fears that the player could be handed a lifetime ban, Mick Brown told Football Insider that West Ham are prepared to accept an offer for Paqueta amid interest from the Saudi Pro League.
Graham Potter is in the process of rebuilding the current squad in East London, and if the Hammers could agree a huge fee for the Brazilian, they could quickly reinvest it ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Lucas Paqueta continues pre-season preparations
Taking to Instagram (16 July), Paqueta wrote: “Pre-season,” with a series of images, which attracted the attention of teammates Emerson Palmieri, Jean-Clair Todibo, Edson Alvarez, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
The post also gained a like from Real Madrid‘s Endrick, with Man City’s Savinho replying with a single heart emoji as his message continued to gain traction online.
Graham Potter to continue West Ham rebuild
Football Insider verdict
It is no coincidence that the Hammers started to drift down the Premier League table as Paqueta’s form diminished dramatically, with the midfielder notching only five goals and zero assists last season.
Without him, Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek are the only real goal threats at the London Stadium, especially now that Mohammed Kudus has joined Tottenham on a permanent deal.
Potter has finally kick-started his summer transfer window, with El Hadji Malick Diouf being announced on Tuesday, 15 July, but there is serious work to be done ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Football Insider understands that West Ham are set to push against financial regulations to push more transfers over the line, with plenty of positions needing to be improved over the coming weeks.
The midfield section is possibly the most worrying area of the pitch after last season, with the Hammers being unable to control the tempo of many games, even against the relegation-threatened sides.
Following Kudus’ exit, a new forward will also need to be found to help Bowen and Niclas Fullkrug, and Potter will need backing if he is to be successful next season.