Manchester City are always looking at players who could potentially strengthen the team – and there is one player who Pep Guardiola simply has to bring to the Etihad Stadium this summer.
It’s been another good season so far from City, who are challenging on three fronts as we head into April.
You get the sense though that City will be strengthening this summer, regardless of how many trophies the club may win.
There are constant transfer links, and talk of who might be able to improve an already quality side.
But there is one player in the Premier League who has been consistently showing this season that he would simply be a perfect fit for City’s team…
Manchester City need to make West Ham United star Lucas Paqueta their first signing of the summer
At times this season, City have had trouble breaking teams down.
Kevin De Bruyne was missed quite a lot while he was on the sidelines, and the Belgian’s injury record is a little concerning. He will have a year left on his contract at City in the summer, and the club do potentially need to be thinking about securing a long-term replacement.
As the season wears on, it is hard to see any other player than Lucas Paqueta being that long-term replacement.
The Brazilian was sensational once again for West Ham United during their 4-3 defeat to Newcastle United on Saturday. He showed wonderful vision to supply Michail Antonio for the Hammers’ first goal, and he showed his intelligence by taking a quick free-kick which led to their second.
This followed two brilliant performances from Paqueta over the international break for Brazil, against England and Spain.
Paqueta has seven goals and seven assists for the Irons in 34 appearances across all competitions this season.
These are decent numbers, but they only really tell half the story with Paqueta, who is far from just a creator.
Paqueta – described previously by Declan Rice as ‘mind-boggling’ – works his socks off for West Ham and that defensive discipline is something that would see him thrive in City’s team. To succeed in a Pep Guardiola team, the first things you need to have are the work-rate and defensive discipline.
Will Man City sign Lucas Paqueta this summer?
Pep needs to sign Paqueta for City this summer, but what are the chances of it actually happening?
Well, Fabrizio Romano recently reported that he was ‘sure’ City are still working on their interest in the player, having wanted him last summer.
City came close to landing £150,000-a-week star Paqueta last summer but the club ultimately decided to walk away after a betting investigation into the player was opened. It has been reported that Paqueta should be cleared of any wrongdoing.
You would imagine that once that investigation is cleared up, then City will go full steam ahead for Paqueta, who looks like a City player with every passing game.
City could potentially be losing a source of creativity and work-rate this summer in Bernardo Silva and of course, De Bruyne will be turning 33 in the summer. So, signing Paqueta really does feel like a very sensible move.
You can have all the creative talent but if you aren’t doing the hard graft, you won’t last long under the Spaniard.
Fbref data indicates that Paqueta is actually in the 99th percentile of players in the big five leagues for tackles per 90 over the last 365 days. He’s also in the 82nd percentile for interceptions.
Paqueta is just a complete player, and the idea of him working under Guardiola is very exciting indeed. The player himself must surely be very tempted by the idea.
