Perennial Newcastle United 'target' reportedly wants to leave club for 'new challenge'
The case of Lucas Paqueta and Newcastle United is a strange one, with the Magpies often linked with a move for the Brazilian midfielder.
Ever since Eddie Howe brought Bruno Guimaraes to Tyneside from Lyon, rumours of his best mate and midfield partner for club and country, Lucas Paqueta, could never be far away.
There was talk that the Magpies tried to sign Paqueta in the same window in which they brought Bruno to St James' Park, fuelled by photos of Paqueta in Newcastle and wearing the famous black and white in Bruno's back garden.
However, it always felt to us that the rumours were more driven by the fans' desire to see the two reunited than anything from the club itself, but the rumours persisted. Even after Paqueta followed Bruno to England when he signed for West Ham, at any sign of discontent, Newcastle are instantly linked with an interest.
Lucas Paqueta is looking for a West Ham exit
This brings us to now, with The Times reporting that Paqueta, who was cleared of all charges relating to spot-fixing earlier this year, is now seeking a new challenge and is looking to leave West Ham.
There's disharmony at West Ham right now with fans protesting the club's leadership for a lack of ambition, while results on the pitch aren't exactly going their way either.
Bruno Guimaraes spoke about Lucas Paqueta being a player he'd love Newcastle to sign in 2024, and with Paqueta seeking a move in January, the opportunity could present itself.
Newcastle were only mentioned as West Ham's upcoming opponents in the report in The Times
That being said, we highly doubt there'll be any genuine interest from Newcastle in the Brazilian. At 28, he's beyond the age bracket for the club's transfer strategy, and after signing Jacob Ramsey in the summer, we're not sure we really need him right now.
Aston Villa and Manchester City have been interested in Paqueta in the recent past, with Villa seeing a move collapse in the summer. They may be keen to revisit the deal in January if they can find the funds.
We still aren't convinced there was ever a genuine interest in Paqueta from the club; it was all fan-driven, but we'll see in January.
