Manchester City are reportedly looking to ramp up their efforts to acquire the services of Lucas Paqueta after learning the West Ham United midfielder's release clause is set to become active in June this year.
The Brazilian, whose current deal is understood to contain an £85m release clause, is believed to be eager to seek out a new challenge following his two-season stint at the London Stadium.
Paqueta was on the verge of joining City last summer, but the FA's investigation into suspicious betting activity disrupted the transfer. However, Pep Guardiola has maintained his interest in the playmaker.
Despite ongoing suggestions of an impending resolution, the FA has refrained from disclosing the exact timeline of the investigation.
The 26-year-old has denied any wrongdoing pertaining to the allegations around bookings he has received and cooperated with investigators by granting them access to his phone in October last year.
City to sign Paqueta in the summer?
Provided the FA does not take further action, Man City will again look to acquire the Brazilian's services in the summer after learning that his £85m release clause will become effective in June, according to The Athletic.
The report adds that the reigning Premier League champions have been admirers of Paqueta since his time at Lyon and have been in frequent contact with his representatives in recent months.
It is also understood that personal terms are unlikely to pose an issue as City remain Paqueta's preferred destination, and negotiations have advanced significantly since last summer.
The Citizens are expected to try and bolster their midfield in the transfer season, with the likes of Bernardo Silva and Kalvin Phillips being linked with moves away from the Etihad Stadium, while Kevin De Bruyne remains a target of the Saudi Pro League giants.
West Ham, meanwhile, will stand to make a substantial profit on the sale of Paqueta, who cost them £51m from Lyon back in 2022.
City have previously splashed large sums of cash on player signings, such as the £100m spent on acquiring Jack Grealish from Aston Villa in 2021 and the £78m investment in Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig last summer.
Whether they will do likewise for Paqueta remains uncertain, but their longstanding interest, dating back to last summer, suggests that there may be a strong possibility.
The Brazilian helped the Hammers win the Europa Conference League last season and has scored 13 goals and provided 14 assists in 78 appearances for the club.
Paqueta is likely to return to action for West Ham this weekend when they play host to Fulham in the Premier League, but he will miss their midweek clash against Bayer Leverkusen due to suspension.
