Man City's deal for star signing is OFF after SHOCK twist

James Shearman

• Updated: 22 Aug 2023 16:17 BST
• 3 min read

Manchester City’s move for West Ham United star Lucas Paqueta is now off, according to Sky Sports News.

The two clubs had agreed an £80 million deal last week before the Hammers were informed of an FA investigation into the player.

Paqueta is alleged to have committed betting breaches and he will miss out on a move to Manchester as a result.

READ MORE: Premier League 2023/24 summer transfers: All the Done Deals

After the news of the investigation broke, there remined hope that the transfer could go through but that is said to be all gone.

The Brazil international will stay at West Ham, where he has been since the summer of 2022.

Last season, Paqueta scored four goals and provided three assists for the east London club.

And he has started the new campaign well, scoring a penalty in the club's 3-1 win over Chelsea on Sunday.

Jeremy Doku to Man City?

City will now be forced to look elsewhere as they look to bolster their squad, which has seen injuries hit a number of key players such as Bernardo Silva, Kevin de Bruyne and John Stones.

While Silva is due back imminently, Stones has been ruled out until the international break next month, while De Bruyne could miss the rest of the calendar year with his injury.

The collapse of Paqueta’s transfer has seen City accelerate with a move for Jeremy Doku, with an agreement believed to have been struck with Rennes for a fee in excess of £50m.

The 21-year-old has established himself as one of the brightest young prospects in Europe and City were keen to make a move even before Paqueta’s situation developed, with a deal now expected to be concluded soon.