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Topics: Manchester City, Premier League, Football, Transfers, Pep Guardiola
Ryan Smart
Topics: Manchester City, Premier League, Football, Transfers, Pep Guardiola
Manchester City could miss out on signing West Ham star Lucas Paqueta for a second consecutive summer - as he is under an FA investigation.
Foot Mercato's Santi Aouna reported on Monday that City were due to open talks with West Ham over the Brazilian international, with personal terms 'already agreed'.
Pep Guardiola's side had agreed an initial £70 million deal to sign the midfielder last summer, but it emerged days later that Paqueta had been placed under investigation by the FA.
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The investigation is into alleged betting breaches, and centres around three yellow cards that the 26-year-old received during the 2022/23 season.
The bets were not placed by Paqueta, as per Sky Sports, and he has denied any wrongdoing.
A betting authority noted that a 'larger than usual number of bets' had been placed in Brazil, before then reporting their findings to FIFA and the FA.
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The midfielder has continued to play for West Ham throughout the length of the investigation, and was called up to the Brazil national squad for recent friendlies against England and Spain back in March.
As the summer transfer window begins, however, the FA have still not concluded the investigation - with Sky Sports reporting that the probe was the reason why City decided not to proceed with the deal to sign the playmaker last year.
Speaking in March (via BBC Sport), Paqueta said: "It's been seven months since it [the investigation] happened and I'm co-operating as much as I can.
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"West Ham have always supported me. There was no reason for them not to do what they did, which was nothing more than put their player out there to play soccer.
"I'm happy to be helping, I hope to help at the end of the season."
The Guardian claimed last month that City would proceed with their interest in Paqueta this summer - but only if the betting investigation into the midfielder was dropped by the time the transfer window officially opens on June 14.