It’s not often Manchester City don’t sign a player when they set their mind to it.
An almost guarantee of adding winning medals to their mantle piece and the allure of working with Pep Guardiola is usually enough to convince any player to join Manchester City, with the club usually typically able to make moves happen from a financial perspective.
However, City are never desperate enough for any player to not walk away from a deal if they feel the price does not match their valuation.
They ended their pursuits for the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Harry Maguire and Fred when Manchester United inflated the fees and refused to meet Brighton’s £50m asking price for Marc Cucurella, even if left them short at left-back.
For completely different reasons, City also abandoned their chase of Lucas Paqueta in 2023, a move that his former coach Kevin Nolan was certain was happening.
- Man City 2024/25 squad cost in full: Transfer fees and stats for every player
What Manchester City loved about Lucas Paqueta
Before bringing him back on an unexpected free transfer this past summer, City lost captain Ilkay Gundogan on a free transfer to Barcelona just after he was crucial in clinching the treble.
Understandably, Guardiola was keen to find a quality replacement for his most trusted lieutenant and Paqueta was identified as an ideal target.
City appeared to be closing in on signing the all-action midfielder, who West Ham valued at £85m, but the deal collapsed when the FA opened an investigation against Paqueta for alleged betting rules breaches.
Paqueta was eventually handed six charges by the FA in May this year, which has seemingly ended any chance of him completing his dream move to the Etihad.
Former Hammers coach Nolan has revealed that he thought the transfer would happen and what City wanted Paqueta for.
He said on 5 Live Sport: “What I will say is that Manchester City don’t look at you and scrutinise you as much as they did.
“We thought he [Paqueta] was going to Man City until all these allegations came about. And that was because what they loved was out-of-possession stuff.”
Lucas Paqueta’s thoughts on Man City interest
Speaking in April before he was hit by the charges, Paqueta was asked about City’s interest in signing him.
He told ESPN: “I have to do my job here at West Ham. I have enormous respect for the club. I’m very happy here if I say I’m not, I’d be lying”, he guaranteed.”
“Of course, it involves a lot of things that are happening off the field, but I remain focused on doing my best, finishing the season well. I started well, I hope to finish well.
“What they say [about Manchester City] is everything from last window. Now, it’s time to finish the season and wait for what will happen.”
