West Ham United star Lucas Paqueta has been linked with a move away from the club in recent weeks, and Tottenham have joined the race for his signature.
According to a report from CaughtOffside, West Ham have set an asking price of £30-40 million for the midfielder. Tottenham are interested in securing his signature, and they will face competition from Manchester City and Crystal Palace.
Tottenham wanted to sign Paqueta a couple of years ago.
Lucas Paqueta could improve Spurs
It will be interesting to see if Spurs can get the deal done. The reported asking price is affordable for them, and they could use more quality and depth in the final third. The 27-year-old is a hard-working midfielder who will help out defensively and help create opportunities for his teammates as well.
He is a reliable performer in the Premier League, and he has shown his quality in England consistently. He has been labelled as a “maverick” by former West Ham manager David Moyes. There is no doubt that he has the qualities needed to compete at the highest level.
The player has recently been cleared of the spot fixing allegations, and he will look to focus on his football now. The opportunity to join a big club will be quite exciting.
James Maddison is sidelined with a serious injury, and Tottenham will need to fill the creative void left by him. The Brazilian certainly fits the profile. He could make an instant impact. His style of play could be a good fit for Thomas Frank as well.
Man City keen on Paqueta
Meanwhile, Manchester City are interested in the player as well. They have been long-term admirers of the Brazilian. They have more resources compared to Tottenham, but the north London outfit might be able to provide him assurances of regular gametime. It remains to be seen whether they can win the race for his signature.