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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Dom Smith

West Ham name Lucas Paqueta price as Man City launch surprise £60m transfer raid

West Ham face a fight to keep Lucas Paqueta after Manchester City launched a £60million move for the Brazil international.

Paqueta has emerged as a shock target for Pep Guardiola and City have made an initial approach to West Ham.

The Hammers do not want to lose Paqueta but know it could be difficult to keep hold of the 25-year-old if the Treble winners push hard to sign him.

It is understood West Ham would only listen to offers of more than £85m for a player they signed for a club-record fee of £51m from Lyon last summer.

Losing Paqueta would be another major blow for David Moyes after the departure of Declan Rice to Arsenal for £105m.

Paqueta established himself as a West Ham favourite last season after a slow start to life in east London. He became more influential in the final third and his pass set up Jarrod Bowen to score the winner against Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League Final in Prague.

Guardiola wants to strengthen his midfield after losing Ilkay Gundogan to Barcelona on a free transfer. City have signed Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea and missed out on Rice.

West Ham have endured a frustrating summer since selling Rice but are finalising a £32m deal to make Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez their first summer signing and have agreed a £30m to sign Manchester United centre-back Harry Maguire.

Maguire is ready for a fresh challenge and is excited by the prospect of a move to play under Moyes at the London Stadium. The 30-year-old knows a lack of game time under Erik ten Hag could threaten his England prospects and he wants to be playing regularly ahead of next summer's European Championship finals.

Alvarez has agreed terms on a five-year contract worth £100,000-a-week, and completed his medical on Tuesday night.

The 25-year-old is unlikely to be thrown straight in when West Ham kick off the season at Bournemouth on Saturday because he has not had a pre-season after helping Mexico win the Gold Cup this summer.

So losing Paqueta now would be a severe setback for Moyes. He scored five goals and providing seven assists in 41 games last season and his creativity is vital for the Hammers.

West Ham want James Ward-Prowse to bolster their midfield (Getty Images)

West Ham are closing in on an agreement with Southampton for James Ward-Prowse and hope to strike a deal for lower than Southampton’s initial £40m asking price.

West Ham, who have had a bid knocked back for Maguire’s team-mate Scott McTominay, are also interested in signing Chelsea full-back Ian Maatsen on loan with an option to buy. Maatsen did well loan at Burnley in the Championship last season and has impressed for Chelsea in pre-season under Mauricio Pochettino.

Moyes is keen to strengthen at left-back and will also target a new striker after selling Gianluca Scamacca to Atalanta.

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