Agent Salif Rubie says West Ham were the only serious player for Lucas Paqueta as he was leaving Olympique Lyon this summer.

Newcastle were well-aware of Paqueta's talent and his friendship with former Lyon team-mate Bruno Guimaraes, who hosted his countryman on Tyneside back in May. However, Newcastle had other priorities in the summer window and the Magpies ended up breaking their own transfer record to sign a striker, Alexander Isak, from Real Sociedad last month.

"West Ham United ended up getting a player which, normally, they would never have been able to get and, in fact, they weren't even thinking they were going to be able to get," Rubie told talkSPORT.

He continued: "They were able to structure a deal because of intermediaries like myself. The intermediary that was able to help and support this whole deal was Barry Silkman. Barry Silkman was able to basically put something together with West Ham that West Ham were comfortable and happy to pay.

"Lyon were happy because to be honest, and the chairman of Lyon was quoted, no one else in the end came and put hard cash down so they had to do the deal."