Contact made as insider confirms Manchester United have enquired about £60m-rated Premier League star ahead of January | OneFootball

Manchester United have made the first move to sign West Ham star Lucas Paqueta. 

That is according to a reliable transfer insider, who has claimed that the Manchester United contacted West Ham to enquire about the player and the club’s valuation of the midfielder.

The contact is said to have been made on Wednesday evening, with the club very keen on securing the transfer but at a fair price.

Taking to X, the insider reported: “Manchester United have asked for more details from West Ham regarding Lucas Paqueta transfer valuation. We understand Man United  are very keen to make the deal in January at fair market valuation. The contact was made on Wednesday lunchtime.”

This comes after it was reported that Paqeuta has expressed his desire to leave West Ham.

The Hammers are also willing to sell the Brazilian midfielder, with the club valuing him at around £60m.

There was interest from Aston Villa in the summer transfer window, with the Midlands club making a move for him just before the deadline day which was rejected by West Ham.

Lucas Paqueta almost joined Manchester City in 2023

While the midfielder is strongly linked with the Red half of Manchester, he almost joined Manchester City a few years ago.

After joining West Ham from Lyon in August 2022 for a club-record fee, Paqueta quickly established himself as one of the club’s best players.

His influence on the pitch was massive with the 28-year-old playing a key role in West Ham’s success under David Moyes, helping the club win the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2023, their first major trophy in decades.

The subsequent summer saw Manchester City aggressively approach the player, with the club even making an £85m offer for him.

However, City ended up backing out after the FA began investigating the player for gambling related offences.

With the charges now dropped and the player keen on leaving the club, it remains to be seen whether Pep Guardiola’s side rekindle their interest.

But as of now, if reports are to be believed, Man United have put themselves in a favourable position to land the versatile attacker.