West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta is being investigated for potential betting breaches, according to reports.
Manchester City had been interested in signing the Brazilian in an £80million deal before the end of the summer transfer window.
Reports emerged on Friday afternoon that the 25-year-old is subject to investigations by the Football Association, and also global governing body FIFA, concerning bets placed in his native country.
When contacted by the PA news agency, neither the FA nor West Ham were making any comment on the reports, while FIFA has also been approached.
Paqueta, who was signed from Lyon last summer, played in West Ham’s opening Premier League match at Bournemouth last weekend.
When asked about the player and interest from Manchester City in a press conference ahead of Sunday’s home game against Chelsea, West Ham manager David Moyes said: “I can’t shed any light on (the situation with) Lucas Paqueta.
“I said last week there had been an enquiry from Manchester City, but I can’t say any more than that.”
West Ham boss David Moyes has given Jesse Lingard another week to earn a short-term contract.
Lingard, who enjoyed a successful loan spell with the Hammers in 2021, is training with the club following his release by Nottingham Forest.
The 30-year-old snubbed a return to West Ham last summer in favour of Forest after leaving Manchester United, but he could yet be back in claret and blue as Moyes attempts to beef up his squad.
“We’ve not even considered a deal at the moment,” said Moyes. “He’s in training to see if we can get him back fit and get him in decent condition.
“He’ll be back here next week as well. There’s no news on that as far as short-term deals or anything else.
“Jesse’s a good player, probably needing to get himself in the correct condition. We’re working on him, all players tend to need four or five weeks pre-season and Jesse’s no different from anybody else.”
Moyes is set to hand James Ward-Prowse an immediate debut against Chelsea on Sunday following his £30million switch from Southampton.
But Edson Alvarez, the £35million signing from Ajax, will probably only make the bench having missed out on pre-season.
“Alvarez is only just back,” added Moyes. “We got him in the middle of last week when he started training. He had no training for three weeks.
“It wasn’t as if he was back at Ajax, whereas James Ward-Prowse has been back training all the way through with Southampton and played games already. He is much more ready.”
Former Manchester United captain Harry Maguire’s move to West Ham has stalled, the PA news agency understands.
The 30-year-old centre-back became the most expensive defender in history when joining the Old Trafford giants from Leicester for £80million in 2019.
Maguire was swiftly handed the captain’s armband, but a lack of form and game time led Erik ten Hag to last month name Bruno Fernandes as United’s new skipper.
West Ham’s initial £20m bid for the England international was rejected before an improved offer in the region of £30m was accepted by the Red Devils last week.
But the PA news agency understands the Hammers are looking at other potential options as the move has stalled, albeit the transfer is not dead.
Maguire was an unused substitute on Monday as United beat Wolves 1-0 and a resolution between selling club and player is thought to be a key part of the hold up.
David Moyes’ Europa Conference League champions have signed Ajax’s Edson Alvarez and Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse in recent days.
West Ham have announced the signing of midfielder James Ward-Prowse from Southampton.
The 28-year-old made 410 appearances for Saints and was captain as they were relegated from the Premier League last season.
He has made a swift return to the top flight after joining the Hammers for an undisclosed fee – reported to be in the region of £30million – signing a four-year contract at the London Stadium.
Ward-Prowse told the club’s official website: “I’m buzzing to be here at West Ham United. It’s great to be here and I’m looking forward to getting going.
“From the outside looking in, this is a club that has been on the rise for a number of years now and coming off the success in the UEFA Europa Conference League last year, you can feel there is real momentum around this club. It’s great to be a part of it and I can’t wait to play my role in the games to come.
“When I think about my game, it is based on hard work, graft, and giving 100 per cent. West Ham United has always been a club that epitomises that. You can feel that from the fans and you can see it in the players who are here and the lads that have come through the academy too.
“I feel as though I will fit straight in and I can promise I will give my all for this football club in my time here.”
Ward-Prowse spent two decades on the south coast having joined Southampton’s academy at the age of eight.
During his time at St Mary’s, he earned 11 senior England caps and scored two goals for his country.
Ward-Prowse scored 17 Premier League free-kicks for Southampton and needs just one more to draw level with the record, held by David Beckham.
He becomes West Ham’s second major signing of the summer following the recent acquisition of fellow midfielder Edson Alvarez from Ajax.
Manchester United defender Harry Maguire could be the next player in at West Ham as manager David Moyes looks to improve a team that finished 14th last season but went on to lift the Europa Conference League.
They opened their season with a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth on Saturday and lost former captain Declan Rice to Arsenal for £105million in July.
David Moyes is considering converting Jarrod Bowen into an out-and-out striker following his latest goal for West Ham.
Bowen had fired the Hammers into the lead early in the second half at Bournemouth with a spectacular curler from the edge of the box.
But Moyes’ side were denied an opening-day win when Dominic Solanke rounded Alphonse Areola to snatch a 1-1 draw with eight minutes remaining.
Bowen’s last kick of last season was the late goal which secured the Europa Conference League trophy against Fiorentina in Prague, 66 days ago.
This time he collected the ball off Tomas Soucek 20 yards out, cut onto his left foot and buried a superb, curling effort beyond the dive of Neto.
“It was a brilliant goal,” said Moyes, who previously successfully turned Marko Arnautovic from winger to striker at West Ham.
“Jarrod is becoming our major goalscorer. There’s a lot of talk about needing to buy a centre-forward but I’m going to see if Jarrod could do the job.
“He’s got the instincts and the sharpness. Hull played him at centre-forward so it’s not me trying to be a genius.”
West Ham were pegged back when Antoine Semenyo’s wayward shot fell at the feet of Solanke, who showed tremendous composure to slip the ball around Areola and tap into an empty net.
“The goal was really scruffy,” added Moyes. “I don’t know if the boy is crossing or shooting, it clipped Tomas Soucek’s heel and was bad fortune for us, but we probably brought it on ourselves.”
Brazilian midfielder Lucas Paqueta put in an eye-catching display in a deep-lying midfield role, showing glimpses of why Manchester City made an approach to sign him.
Moyes, who has already lost Declan Rice this summer, does not want another of his best players to leave but is realistic enough to know he might not be able to stop him.
“There’s a price on everyone’s head somewhere,” he said. “We don’t want Lucas to go, it’s as simple as that. But sometimes it’s difficult to say to these boys you can’t join Manchester City, or Real Madrid, the biggest clubs in the world.
“We’ve had a bit of news on Lucas but we’ve had nothing that’s made us wobble.”
Bournemouth’s new boss Andoni Iraola enjoyed his first taste of Premier League football.
“It’s a good point, we wanted three,” said the Spaniard. “We were better at the end of both halves.
“After tying the game the momentum was with us and we finished better, but it was one point.
“We improved after the first half and second half we were a bit more direct. We have to improve, this was the first game of the season. We have to grow from this starting point.”
Dominic Solanke’s late equaliser denied West Ham an opening-day win as Bournemouth hit back for a 1-1 draw.
Jarrod Bowen had fired the Hammers into the lead early in the second half with a spectacular curler from the edge of the box.
But Bournemouth, playing under new boss Andoni Iraola for the first time, were good value for the point they earned when Solanke rounded Alphonse Areola with eight minutes remaining.
It has been a troubled summer for West Ham following their Europa Conference League success last season with the departure of Declan Rice, Manchester City’s attempt to lure Lucas Paqueta away and a lack of new signings coming through the doors at the London Stadium.
They arrived on the south coast with essentially last season’s team, minus Rice, and not much in the way of optimism.
Yet they almost went ahead early on when Said Benrahma fed Tomas Soucek, whose effort bounced back off the inside of the far post and into the grateful arms of Bournemouth keeper Neto.
The Cherries were relieved again when Michail Antonio’s flick from a corner was cleared from underneath the crossbar by Philip Billing.
But Bournemouth had their chances too as the first half wore on, with Solanke slipping in David Brooks who fired just wide.
Solanke then chased a long ball over the top only to be denied by the long leg of Hammers defender Kurt Zouma, before Areola beat away another Brooks drive.
The second half almost began with a bang for Bournemouth with Brooks letting fly on the volley from 20 yards, forcing Areola into an acrobatic save.
But it was the Hammers who broke the deadlock moments later after Pablo Fornals, trying to fill a Rice-shaped hole in the West Ham midfield, won possession 30 yards out.
Bowen’s last kick of the previous campaign was the late goal which secured the Europa Conference League trophy against Fiorentina 66 days ago.
This time he collected the ball off Soucek 20 yards out, cut onto his left foot and buried a superb, curling effort beyond the dive of Neto.
Bournemouth, playing their new brand of easy-on-the-eye, expansive football, tried to hit back and Areola saved from Solanke before Joe Rothwell’s shot clipped the crossbar.
Their dominance told in the 82nd minute when Antoine Semenyo’s wayward shot fell at the feet of Solanke, who showed tremendous composure to slip round Areola and tap into an empty net.
West Ham manager David Moyes hopes to be able to complete deals for both James Ward-Prowse and Harry Maguire – but stressed Manchester City’s bid for midfielder Lucas Paqueta was “not anywhere near” the club’s valuation.
Southampton midfielder Ward-Prowse is having a medical ahead of his transfer to east London, while Maguire remains in discussions with United about the terms of his exit from Old Trafford.
West Ham are understood to have knocked back an initial £60million approach for Paqueta from the Premier League champions.
“We’ve had an offer from Manchester City, but at the moment it’s not anywhere near meeting our valuation,” said Moyes.
Despite initial frustrations in the summer window, the Irons have added Mexico midfielder Edson Alvarez to the squad in a £35million deal from Ajax, with Ward-Prowse set to follow.
“James Ward-Prowse is having a medical just now. We’ve agreed a fee but it’s not right I speak about him as he’s not yet our player,” Moyes told a press conference.
United boss Erik ten Hag was giving little away when questioned on Maguire’s future, stressing the England defender would be available for Monday’s game against Wolves even though the club had accepted a bid from West Ham, understood to be around £30m.
On the situation regarding Maguire’s expected arrival, Moyes said: “We’ve had a bid accepted from Manchester United, but while he’s not our player I’m not in a position to discuss him really.”
After seeing former captain Declan Rice complete a new British transfer record move to Arsenal in a £105m deal, West Ham have been trying to reshape the squad for next season – when they will also compete in the Europa League – if not as quickly as Moyes would have liked.
“It’s not about us having £100million to spend, but the fees being charged by clubs for players,” the West Ham boss said.
“We sold Declan – I actually think Declan was quite cheap, to be honest – and there has nearly not been a player we have gone for under £40million. We have been very active, as you all know, trying to get players in.”
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West Ham have also seen Gianluca Scamacca and Nikola Vlasic depart as Moyes looks to push the group on from last season’s success in winning the Europa Conference League.
“You need to look at the amount of players Chelsea bought – you need a number you can work with and a balance of players in each position, and all those things come into it when you try to sign them,” Moyes said.
“I just walked through the corridor and looked at all the pictures of us winning a European trophy and it was incredible what we did.
“We’re going into this season with a great deal of positivity. We have a great feeling and we want to keep it.”
West Ham open the new Premier League season at Bournemouth on Saturday.
Alvarez, though, will not be available as he continues fitness work since being away at the CONCACAF Gold Cup with Mexico.
“They have always done well and they have a new approach this season under Andoni Iraola,” Moyes said of this weekend’s opponents.
“It is always a hard game at Bournemouth, but we had a good win there last year and we hope we can get another one tomorrow.”
West Ham have completed the signing of Mexico international Edson Alvarez from Ajax for an undisclosed fee.
The 25-year-old has agreed a contract until June 2028 with the Europa Conference League winners.
He strengthens the Hammers’ midfield options following the sale of former captain Declan Rice to Arsenal.
West Ham manager David Moyes told the club website: “The midfield area was one we were especially keen to strengthen this summer – and Edson will complement the other options we have in that department.
“He’s an experienced international player, who has enjoyed great success for both club and country during his career to date.”
Alvarez, who began his career with Mexico City-based Club America, moves to the Premier League after clinching two Eredivisie titles during his four-season stay with Ajax.
He has been capped 69 times by his country, winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2019 and 2023, in addition to travelling to the World Cup in 2018 and 2022.
“It’s a hugely sentimental moment for me in my career,” he said. “To join a club like a West Ham is a dream for me and my family.
“The Premier League is a special league, the best league in the world, and I think my style will suit it.
“I now have a responsibility to West Ham and the West Ham family and I will give absolutely everything for the shirt.”
West Ham, who will play in the Europa League this term, begin the new season at Bournemouth on Saturday.
West Ham have agreed deals in principle to sign Harry Maguire and James Ward-Prowse, the PA news agency understands.
Manchester United defender Maguire and Southampton midfielder Ward-Prowse have also agreed personal terms with the Hammers.
Maguire remains in discussions with United about the terms of his exit from Old Trafford but the transfer, understood to be worth around £30million, is expected to go through.
The Hammers are also close to announcing the £35million signing of Mexico midfielder Edson Alvarez from Ajax.
The 25-year-old has passed a medical but the paperwork is still being completed.
Meanwhile, West Ham are understood to have knocked back an initial £60million approach from Manchester City for midfielder Lucas Paqueta.
That figure is some £30million less than West Ham would entertain selling the Brazil midfielder for.
However, there could be a player swap involved with Hammers boss David Moyes having long held an interest in City midfielder Kalvin Phillips.
Alvarez and Phillips can both fill the position vacated by the £105million sale of Declan Rice to Arsenal.
Young winger Cole Palmer, who scored in Sunday’s Community Shield defeat by the Gunners, is another player admired by Moyes.
West Ham have agreed deals in principle to sign Harry Maguire and James Ward-Prowse, the PA news agency understands.
Manchester United defender Maguire and Southampton midfielder Ward-Prowse have also agreed personal terms with the Hammers.
Maguire remains in discussions with United about the terms of his exit from Old Trafford but the transfer, understood to be worth around £30million, is expected to go through.
The Hammers are also close to announcing the £35million signing of Mexico midfielder Edson Alvarez from Ajax.
The 25-year-old has passed a medical but the paperwork is still being completed.
Meanwhile, West Ham are understood to have knocked back an initial £60million approach from Manchester City for midfielder Lucas Paqueta.
That figure is some £30million less than West Ham would entertain selling the Brazil midfielder for.
However, there could be a player swap involved with Hammers boss David Moyes having long held an interest in City midfielder Kalvin Phillips.
Alvarez and Phillips can both fill the position vacated by the £105million sale of Declan Rice to Arsenal.
Young winger Cole Palmer, who scored in Sunday’s Community Shield defeat by the Gunners, is another player admired by Moyes.
West Ham have made an improved £30million bid for Manchester United and England centre-back Harry Maguire, the PA news agency understands.
The Hammers have been linked with Maguire throughout the summer but a previous £20million offer was rejected.
Maguire, 30, fell down the pecking order at Old Trafford last season and was recently replaced as captain by manager Erik ten Hag.
United, however, have always maintained that Maguire remains an important member of their squad and would be happy for him to stay and fight for his place.
Maguire, who joined United for £80million in 2019, faces competition from Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof for a spot in the side.
West Ham, meanwhile, have also been linked with a move for Maguire’s United team-mate Scott McTominay.
West Ham are unlikely to go back in for Manchester United captain Harry Maguire after seeing a £20million bid knocked back, the PA news agency understands.
The Old Trafford giants made the England international the most expensive defender in history when bringing him in from Leicester for £80million in 2019.
Maguire was swiftly handed the captain’s armband, but a lack of form and game time led Erik ten Hag to this month name Bruno Fernandes as United’s new skipper.
Numerous clubs have been linked with a summer move for the out-of-favour defender and West Ham have seen a £20m bid for the 30-year-old rejected.
PA understands the Europa Conference League winners are unlikely to make another move for him after seeing that bid rebuffed.
Maguire has dropped down the pecking order at United under Ten Hag, yet sources indicate he is still seen as a valuable part of the squad and stressed they are not forcing him out.
The defender has remained a key member of the England squad, despite enduring a poor 2022/23 campaign, but his place could come under threat if things do not improve before Euro 2024.
Declan Rice is one of the world's best players in his position and is a great signing for Arsenal, according to John Barnes.
England midfielder Rice completed his move from West Ham to Arsenal last week in a transfer that could reach a value of £105 million.
Rice racked up 204 Premier League appearances for West Ham and bowed out by leading the club to success in the Europa Conference League.
Opta data showed he made more interceptions (63) than any other player in the Premier League last season.
Ex-England international Barnes has no doubts about Rice's ability to make an impact with Arsenal as they challenge for Premier League and Champions League glory under Mikel Arteta.
Rice made his first Arsenal appearance on Wednesday as his new side opened their US tour by comprehensively beating Wayne Rooney's MLS All-Stars 5-0 in Washington DC.
"Declan Rice, for a defensive midfield player, I think is one of the best in the country, if not the world, so, therefore, it's a great signing for Arsenal," Barnes said to Stats Perform.
"It is a great signing. He's very, very good. I would've loved him at Liverpool, but obviously, he wanted to go to Arsenal. He's a London boy.
"Arsenal have got what they needed. They have Thomas Partey in that position and Arsenal have always been a good footballing team, but they have lacked a bit of strength and protection for the back four and he will then give them that.
"That is as well as obviously signing Kai Havertz, a player with good experience, so they have made some very good signings."
Rice's England team-mate Jude Bellingham has also been on the move, swapping Borussia Dortmund for Real Madrid.
Bellingham completed 88 take-ons in the Bundesliga last season, the most by any central midfielder across Europe's big five leagues in 2022-23.
Barnes also believes that major transfer will prove to be a success as long as the 20-year-old does not try to do too much to meet any unrealistic individual expectations.
"He has been fantastic and I think he will do very well," Barnes said about Bellingham.
"However, he's not going there to be the superstar player. Of course, they had it with Cristiano Ronaldo and there was Lionel Messi at Barcelona, but Real Madrid doesn't have that [in the current team] – look at Eden Hazard [struggling] there.
"Bellingham is a hard-working midfield player who is not going there to be a Messi or Ronaldo because that's not the type of player he is.
"If you look at what they have there in terms of [Eduardo] Camavinga and [Aurelien] Tchouameni, they have got lots of good young players who are hardworking midfield players and Bellingham will be one of those.
"Bellingham is not going there to be a Messi or Ronaldo – he is going there to help that situation whereby the age of the squad has come down. He's a very, very good midfield player who will help Real Madrid.
"As long as he recognises that he's not going there to be the best player in the world in terms of what the public expect, like for him to score 30 goals a season and to be dribbling around people.
"He does his job which he does very well and he will be very successful."
Declan Rice has completed his transfer from West Ham to Arsenal in a British record £105million deal.
The England midfielder’s departure from the club he joined a decade ago was confirmed by the Hammers on Saturday morning, with Arsenal announcing the switch had been completed in the afternoon.
Rice’s move to the Emirates Stadium on a long-term contract sees him become the most expensive English player in history and follows on from the former Irons captain having guided his old club to victory in the Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina.
Earlier on Saturday, Rice had penned an open letter to West Ham fans, revealing the desire of playing in the Champions League – which Arsenal will next season – was one of the reasons behind his “tough” decision to leave.
Speaking to the Arsenal website following the confirmation of his move, Rice said he was determined to take his game to another level with the Gunners.
“In football, amazing opportunities arise. Big clubs, like Arsenal, have come for me and it’s really hard to turn down,” Rice said.
“You only ever get one career and I really believe in what (manager) Mikel (Arteta) is building here and the squad he’s building. I’m really looking forward to the future with Arsenal.”
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“With Mikel and how he works, the squad, how young everyone is, the energy around the club and also the challenge of getting Arsenal back to where they belong, that means a lot to me.
“I know the fans really want that. For me as a player, I’ve come here really hungry to have more success and to spend my best years at this great club.
“I know he (Arteta) is going to get the best out of me. I know I’ve got more levels to go up in my game and I feel like he’s the manager to take me to those next levels. I am really excited to be working with him.”
West Ham’s joint-chairman David Sullivan confirmed last month the east London club had a gentleman’s agreement with Rice to allow him to leave this summer after the player turned down the offer of a highly-lucrative new contract.
Midfielder Rice made 245 appearances for the Irons, with his last helping secure a first trophy since 1980.
Rice is the latest addition to an Arsenal squad which has already been strengthened over the summer, with the arrival of Netherlands defender Jurrien Timber having been confirmed on Friday.
German international Kai Havertz has moved from Chelsea, while the Gunners have also seen France defender William Saliba and Reiss Nelson commit their futures to the club on new long-term contracts.
With Granit Xhaka having left to join Bayer Leverkusen, the arrival of Rice will further bolster Mikel Areta’s midfield options as Arsenal look to close the gap on Manchester City after finishing runners-up in the Premier League last season.
“We’re really happy that Declan is joining us. He is a player with tremendous ability, who has been performing at a high level in the Premier League and for England for a number of seasons now,” Arteta said.
“Declan is bringing undoubted quality to the club and he is an exceptional talent who has the potential to be very successful here.
“Declan has great experience in the Premier League at only 24 years old. He has captained a very good West Ham team and as we all saw, he recently lifted a European trophy.
“The responsibility and role he has taken on has been very impressive and we are really excited that he is joining us.”
Declan Rice has completed his transfer from West Ham to Arsenal in a British record £105million deal.
The England midfielder’s departure from the club he joined a decade ago was confirmed by the Hammers on Saturday afternoon, with Arsenal announcing the switch had been completed.
Rice’s move to the Emirates Stadium on a long-term contract sees him become the most expensive English player in history and follows on from the former Irons captain having guided his old club to victory in the Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina.
Earlier on Saturday, Rice had penned an open letter to West Ham fans, revealing the desire of playing in the Champions League – which Arsenal will next season – was one of the reasons behind his “tough” decision to leave.
West Ham’s joint-chairman David Sullivan confirmed last month the east London club had a gentleman’s agreement with Rice to allow him to leave this summer after the player turned down the offer of a highly-lucrative new contract.
Rice made 245 appearances for the Irons, with his last helping secure a first trophy since 1980.
View this post on Instagram“This club and its supporters will always be in my heart and forever a part of who I am,” Rice said. “Ultimately, though, it has only ever been about my ambition to play at the very highest level of the game.
“Playing on the opposite team to West Ham for the first time will be an unusual experience.
“I’m not sure yet exactly how I will feel, but I also know you will all understand and respect that my professional loyalties have to now lie with my new club.”
Rice is the latest addition to an Arsenal squad which has already been strengthened over the summer, with the arrival of Netherlands defender Jurrien Timber having been confirmed on Friday.
German international Kai Havertz has moved from Chelsea, while the Gunners have also seen France defender William Saliba and Reiss Nelson commit their futures to the club on new long-term contracts.
With Granit Xhaka having left to join Bayer Leverkusen, the arrival of Rice will further bolster Mikel Areta’s midfield options as Arsenal look to close the gap on Manchester City after finishing runners-up in the Premier League last season.
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