Lucas Paqueta wants Aston Villa move as major update drops on West Ham talks

Aston Villa are closing in on the marquee arrival of Lucas Paqueta.

With the Villans winless in their first two Premier League encounters, it became clear that something special was needed in the latter stages of the summer transfer window.

Paqueta emerged as a target for Aston Villa as well as several other Premier League clubs, with West Ham said to be open to his departure.

It is believed that it will take around £60million to prise him away from the London Stadium, and on Saturday night, Aston Villa took one huge step forward to landing his signature.

Lucas Paqueta playing for West Ham United in the Premier League Summer Series
Credit: Imago

Aston Villa advance in talks to sign Lucas Paqueta

Unai Emery will need to find a way to get Paqueta into his XI if the move materialises, and as per the latest report from Fabrizio Romano, it is looking more and more likely.

The transfer guru reported via X that Paqueta is now keen on joining Aston Villa, who have entered advanced talks with West Ham.

Paqueta, 28, has been a mainstay in the West Ham team, with him and Jarrod Bowen playing a crucial role in ultimately preventing them from relegation last season.

If the Brazilian makes the move to Villa Park, it would not only be a huge statement of intent but also the exact signing that was needed this summer.

Aston Villa have some lethal forwards in the ranks, and having a new maestro in the team to supply them could be the difference-maker.

How much will Lucas Paqueta earn at Aston Villa?

Via Capology, Paqueta earns a reported £150,000 per week at West Ham, and he is highly unlikely to take a pay cut to make the move to Aston Villa.

If anything, his wages are likely to be increased, and if so, he would become the highest earner at Villa Park.

Exit-linked Villa star Emi Martinez, Youri Tielemans and Boubacar Kamara are all on a reported £150,000 per-week contract with the Villans.

While it may be a big financial commitment, it is certainly one that is worth the money, with more developments expected over the next 24-48 hours.

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