West Ham boss Graham Potter has not shut the door on Lucas Paqueta leaving the London Stadium before the end of the transfer window.

The midfielder was acquitted of spot-fixing allegations and, while Potter did emphasise that Paqueta is “happy” to stay, he couldn’t rule out things changing between now and September 1st:

“You never know for sure because anything can happen in the window with anybody, but the news is incredibly positive. If it had gone the other way, there would have been a whole other line of questions.”

“Lucas is happy and committed. He is an important person in the dressing room and at the club, and we love him. We just want to help him enjoy his football.”

Man City are circling the West Ham player once again

Following confirmation that Paqueta had been found not guilty, reports soon emerged from Brazil about his future.

It is believed that Manchester City are still keeping tabs on the 27-year-old, having seen an £80m deal collapse a couple of years ago.

West Ham would reportedly be prepared to let Paqueta go for a fee less than that now, with it being suggested that an offer between £50m and £60m would be enough for a transfer to go ahead.

Finding a replacement for Paqueta would be a challenge

If the FA had announced its decision earlier in the summer, it would have given Graham Potter’s side a lot more time to plan for Paqueta’s exit.

As it is, there are only a few weeks left before the window closes. West Ham could certainly do with an additional £60m or so to bring in new signings, but due to how slowly the club conducts their business, it would be difficult to see them getting the players they want prior to the deadline.

In other news, the manager of a West Ham target speaks out about his future