Newcastle United are prepared to smash their transfer record in a bid to capture Brazil international Lucas Paqueta ahead of Arsenal this summer. The Magpies are reportedly plotting another raid on Lyon with a £50million bid to sign the midfielder as Eddie Howe looks to strengthen his squad.
Reports suggest the Magpies are keen on signing the 24-year-old in a club-record deal, with Lyon likely to demand a huge fee for the Brazilian midfielder, who scored nine goals in Ligue 1 this season.
The fee would eclipse the £36m spent on signing Joelinton back in 2019 from Hoffenheim. But it is not expected to be an obstacle for the Saudi-based Public Investment Fund, who own 80 per cent of the club and boast a combined wealth of £320 billion, and that could prove the difference in beating the Gunners to his signature.
Lucas Paqueta: The Lyon star could join Newcastle in a £50m deal (Image: AFP)
L’Equipe had reported Paqueta had delayed any decision over his future until the end of the season to concentrate on trying to secure a European place with the club. But after finishing a disappointing eighth in Ligue 1, the playmaker would surely jump at the chance of a project as ambitious as the Toon’s.
Paqueta is also a close friend of Bruno Guimaraes, Newcastle’s £33m signing in January, with the pair staying in the same room on international duty with Brazil. And with the latter quickly becoming a fans’ favourite at St James’ Park, Howe is ready to spend big again to land one of his key targets this summer after overseeing an impressive revival in the second half of the season.
The former AC Milan star is wanted by Arsenal, who have twice missed out on signing Guimaraes and are searching for a new central midfielder. But the fact he would be able to settle on Tyneside with help from his fellow countrymen Guimaraes and Joelinton may be an important factor.
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Lucas Paqueta: The Brazilian is close friends with Magpies ace Bruno Guimaraes (Image: Instagram/brunoguimaraes)
The Times report that Paqueta’s relationship is close with Guimaraes to the point that he visited the North East last week on a private jet last week and stayed with his former Lyon team-mate during his time in England. He was even photographed in a Newcastle shirt given to him, fuelling suggestions he could soon join him in the North East.
Paqueta looked as if he was going to follow in the footsteps of Brazil legend Kaka after making a high-profile transfer to Milan in 2019. But his time in Italy ended after just one season as he joined Lyon in October 2020 for £24m.
Lyon are unlikely to allow the highly-rated midfielder to leave for a cut-price fee as he still has three years left on his contract. There is also understood to be a 15 per-cent sell-on fee that was included in their deal to sign Paqueta from Milan, which may have to be factored into the price Newcastle are quoted.
