Premier League club 'willing' to sell Man City target who is struggling with English

Manchester City are expected to make a fresh move for West Ham Untied star Lucas Paquetá this summer, according to one report. Pep Guardiola was keen to secure the creative midfielder last summer but City did not complete a deal as planned.

According to Football Insider, an £80million deal was agreed in principle last summer, but allegations of betting breaches meant a deal was sidelined, leaving the player 'deeply unhappy'. The investigation remains ongoing, but the player appears to be confident of clearing his name.

In the meantime, City are still said to be keen on a deal, providing Paquetá is cleared of any wrongdoing, hoping to avoid a situation like the one Newcastle United found themselves in when they signed Sandro Tonali. Tonali signed on a big-money deal before being banned for the majority of the season due to betting breaches.

The report claims West Ham will not stand in Paquetá's way as long as their asking price is met, and the player is said to be keen on an exit. That price tag stood at £80million last summer, but it's unclear what West Ham will command this summer, and much will depend on the outcome of the investigation.

With result in the investigation, Paquetá has continued to play this season, scoring seven and assisting six in 33 appearances across all competitions. In the meantime, Paquetá has opened up on his issues with the English language, requiring help to get by when communicating in the language.

“Survivor mode (level English), that’s my goal now,” Paquetá told Brazilian influencer Fred Bruno. “Sometimes I die! When Emerson is not around, forget it! I get anxious, look around and think ‘what do I have to say?'"