Paqueta suits Man City's midfield and his adaptability would appeal to Guardiola

It never rains but it pours at West Ham.

Declan Rice, the cornerstone of their midfield, has left for Arsenal, the club are struggling to new signings in despite £105million burning their back pocket, and there are growing tensions behind the scenes.

If Hammers fans dared to hope their Europa Conference League triumph a couple of months ago heralded the beginning of a bright new dawn, they appear to be sadly mistaken.

Now, on the eve of the big Premier League kick-off, another thunderbolt as Manchester City bid £70m for their star Brazilian midfielder Lucas Paqueta.

In terms of pure finances, West Ham could make a handsome profit on a player they paid Lyon £51m just 12 months ago. Pep Guardiola is a big fan and so City could go higher.

But losing not one, but two, key midfielders in the same summer really isn't a good look for West Ham and only contributes to a sense of chaos and a resignation among the fanbase that they'll be glancing nervously over their shoulders at the relegation zone yet again.

Putting that aside, however, will Paqueta prove the right fit for Man City?

Guardiola clearly doesn't want to stand still after City swept all before them to win the Treble last season.

The departure of Ilkay Gundogan to Barcelona has left a midfield vacancy, though City did sign Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea earlier in the summer.

The big appeal of Paqueta, 25, is his versatility. He possesses the tenacity to perform in a holding midfield role, as he did alongside Rice on occasion for West Ham last season.

But he also has the Brazilian flair to operate further forward as an attacking midfielder, where he is first-choice for his country and has developed a superb understanding with Neymar.

If required, Paqueta can also be stationed on either flank and has even played the odd game at centre forward.

He made something of a slow start at West Ham after arriving late in the window last summer but that can be ascribed to the pressures of a club record price tag and the need to adapt to the Premier League.

Paqueta has a tendency to give the ball away dangerously close to his own goal, something often punished in England's top-flight, and there can be a petulance to his character that counts against him in the heat of the moment.

But once he'd settled in at the London Stadium, Paqueta grew in influence, stunning both fans and his own team-mates.

'He's incredible. Honestly, he's absolutely incredible,' said Rice towards the end of the season.

'Some of the stuff he does, even in training, it's just mind-boggling how good he is.'

The crowning moment came when he supplied the pass to set up Jarrod Bowen's winner against Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final, sealing West Ham's first major trophy in 43 years.

A return of five goals and seven assists in his debut season was encouraging, if not spectacular, but Paqueta had shown enough to hint at much more to come.

But there have been reports that Paqueta has become unsettled and obviously your head is going to be turned when the world's best club come knocking.

Doubly so if West Ham face the prospect of another struggle against relegation this season.

Paqueta would also find his natural style far more suited to City. Under David Moyes, the Hammers have looked to soak up pressure and hit teams on the counter.

But Paqueta isn't exceptionally fast and so City's possession-based football, where he can help weave patterns and pick killer passes, would appeal to him.

Over time, he might be able to forge the kind of understanding with Erling Haaland that he enjoys with Neymar.

That reached a point during the Qatar World Cup when Tite actually took Paqueta out of his side while Neymar was sidelined with an ankle ligament issue before restoring them both for the knockout games.

The knock-on effect on City's current players depends on where Guardiola would wish to deploy him.

Gundogan had a similar versatility and featured in 51 matches last season, starting 45 of them. He was a key member of the Treble-winning team, the captain, and equally comfortable in defensive and attacking midfield roles.

Kovacic can cover similar ground but, like everyone else, can't be expected to play every single game in a campaign that will see City again compete on four fronts and play the FIFA Club World Cup in December.

They also have Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Rodri and Bernardo Silva, who appears inclined to sign a new contract, in a midfield spine that is the envy of most clubs.

If Paqueta plays deep, it's surely not good news for Kalvin Phillips, who'd be left wondering whether he fits into Guardiola's plans at all after a mere 593 minutes of action last season.

With Euro 2024 on the horizon and his England place to fight for, Phillips would be seriously worried if he's warming the bench again in the early weeks.

Gundogan is a class act but Paqueta would surely represent an upgrade. He's seven years younger for one thing and would bring a touch of Brazilian magic to City's midfield rather than ruthless functionality.

Guardiola would work closely with him to iron out the remaining flaws in his game and, amid a brutal schedule, he'd get plenty of time on the pitch.

West Ham will dig in their heels though. While Paqueta does have an £85m release clause in his contract, as Mail Sport revealed, that doesn't kick in until next year.

David Sullivan will value Paqueta at considerably more than City's £70m bid and they really don't want to lose him hot on the heels of Rice's exit.

But City are pretty irresistible at the moment and a move to the Etihad would enable Paqueta to elevate his game to a whole new level while also collecting silverware.