Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has revealed that the Magpies considered trying to sign West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta before he joined the Hammers.
West Ham signed the Brazilian midfielder from Olympique Lyonnais for £35.6million in the summer transfer window, a move that could rise to as high as £52.7m if all potential future add-ons are triggered.
Paqueta is a close friend of Newcastle star Bruno Guimaraes, with the Brazilian midfielders both playing together at Lyon and in Brazil’s 2022 World Cup squad together.