Lucas Paqueta's desperation to impress Man City's Pep Guardiola proves he doesn't want Newcastle January transfer

Lucas Paqueta looked like he was destined to move to Manchester City over the summer to become the latest signing for Pep Guardiola's Treble winners.

The West Ham United midfielder looked like he was set to move to City after a reported £80 million deal was agreed in principle.

However, the transfer was called off after the Football Association (FA) opened an investigation over alleged betting breaches, which Paqueta himself denies.

Paqueta yesterday came up against what could have been his employers yesterday when Man City visited the London Stadium to take on the Hammers, where City came from behind to pick up three points in a 3-1 win.

James Ward-Prowse had given David Moyes's side the lead heading into the break, but summer signing Jeremy Doku equalised for City a minute into the second half.

Bernardo Silva gave the visitors the advantage with a quarter of an hour to go, before Erling Haaland added City's third before full-time.

Paqueta started the game against the Treble winners and went over to the City bench to greet Guardiola, greeting the Spaniard with a hug, showing the pair remain on good terms despite the move for the Brazil international ultimately not coming to fruition.

However, there is always the potential that the move could be revisited in the January transfer window, though City might have competition for his signature.

According to Fichajes, Eddie Howe's Newcastle United are considering making a swoop worth £52 million for Paqueta's services in January.

However, it remains to be seen if that would be enough to tempt the Hammers into a sale, given that City agreed a deal worth £80 million for Paqueta over the summer.

And given Paqueta's warm relations with Guardiola, there is always the chance that he may well favour a move to City over Newcastle if given the choice and the chance of a transfer rears its head again.

Nah Paqueta is desperate 😭pic.twitter.com/lWBob91EcU

— 𝐄𝐑 (@ErlingRoIe) September 17, 2023