Arsenal and Newcastle among clubs interested in £58 million Ligue 1 star

Both Arsenal and Newcastle United hold an interest in signing Lyon midfielder Lucas Paqueta, according to reports. 

As per The Chronicle, the Ligue 1 star is set to spark another transfer tussle between the two Premier League clubs, who both chased Bruno Guimaraes before the Brazilian joined the Magpies in January.

Paqueta is a close friend of Guimaraes, something that Newcastle hope will give them an edge in negotiations with the 24-year-old.

The report suggests that the attacking midfielder will not come cheap, though, with his current side having placed a £58 million price tag on him.

Added to that is the player’s wage demands, which are believed to most likely be in the region of £180,000-per-week.

Paqueta left his native Brazil in 2019 to join Italian side AC Milan, but departed the Serie A club after just 12 months for around half the price that Milan paid for him, moving to France in 2020.

Paqueta will line up against West Ham on Thursday evening, for the second leg of Lyon’s Europa League quarter final against the Hammers

This season, though, the Brazil international has impressed, playing 37 matches across all competitions for Lyon, scoring nine times and providing four assists.

That form in the French top flight had seen him heavily linked with a move to Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain, however it is now believed that their interest has since cooled.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is keen to add players to his squad ahead of next season, and Paqueta would add certain qualities that the Gunners may currently be missing.

Newcastle though, with their recently acquired financial might, may fancy their chances of beating the Gunners to a signing once again.

The former AC Milan man has already visited England, watching teammate Guimaraes score his first goal for the Magpies in their victory over Southampton at St. Mary’s back in March.

United’s new owners moved quickly during the January transfer window when they were alerted to the fact that Guimaraes would be allowed to leave, meeting the French side’s asking price almost immediately.

If they act in similar fashion this summer, it seems that Guimaraes and Paqueta could soon be lining up alongside each other for club and country once again.