The embrace between Pep Guardiola and Lucas Paqueta in the moments before Manchester City’s victory at West Ham United earlier in the season made clear that the potential for a future move still existed.

Paqueta had seen hopes of a summer transfer dashed after Mail Sport revealed that the Football Association had launched an investigation into alleged betting breaches and is understood to remain open to a switch north.

The 26-year-old is back in the Brazil squad for their blockbuster friendlies with England and Spain after missing the September, October and November camps – despite continuing to play for the Hammers.

Paqueta handed over his phone to help the investigation and there has been frustration in Brazil at the length of time it’s taking to come to a conclusion. 

While there are noises that the probe is reaching a close, the FA remain tight-lipped on the situation and Paqueta is still in the dark.

City are willing to wait for the central midfielder, seen as an obvious long-term replacement for Bernardo Silva once the Portuguese ends his stay at the Etihad Stadium.

But player and both clubs require clarity soon ahead of the summer window, when it’s thought that an £86million release clause can be activated.

City have moved to clamp down on the issue of ticket touts, who are becoming an increasing problem at home matches.

The Premier League champions are recruiting a ticket compliance manager, whose primary role will be to investigate ticket re-sale misuse.

A number of complaints have been fielded over touting at the Etihad Stadium and on external websites over the past year, with the increase of casual one-off fans.

One common problem is touts purchasing junior tickets and selling them on as adult seats, leading stewards refusing entry amid more stringent checks at the turnstiles over recent weeks.

Tickets for this month’s title clash with Arsenal are already listed at thousands of pounds. One site has three on offer, sat next to each other in the main stand next to the away bench, at £4,050 – and that doesn’t include any VIP treatment. Available tickets online, away from the club’s exchange scheme, are at least three figures and well above face value.

There is yet more change at the club’s vaunted academy. Brad Wall, a senior cog in the recruitment side of their operation, is leaving his role as Northern UK scouting manager to become head of recruitment at Portsmouth.

Wall only joined City a year ago, making the move from Wolves alongside Sean Murphy – who heads up academy scouting in the south. City also took Mark Ridgeway from Molineux later in the year but he lasted a matter of weeks before returning to the Black Country.

That is now at least five senior departures from the recruitment team in 18 months since Joe Shields, now at Chelsea, left for Southampton.

His deputy, Sam Fagbemi, replaced him and has also seen Stewart Thompson (Chelsea), Paul McLaren (Newcastle), Paul Midgley (Newcastle) seek moves.

It also emerged this week that former Aston Villa left back Alan Wright, who had been coaching the Under 16s, handed in his notice and opted to work for an agency instead. Wright had been at City for a decade.

Not content with a Netflix documentary on the Treble season, City are releasing Julian Alvarez’s story on their broadcast channels after flying over to Argentina to see friends, family and former coaches.

A heartwarming hour’s listen from Ricky Hatton on City’s podcast this week. The former world light-welterweight champion opened up on his mental health and relived past glories while sat alongside his son, Campbell.

A lifelong fan, Ricky - who recorded the show at the club’s training ground last Friday - reminisced about the lengthy journey from home to Maine Road when he was growing up.

‘Some of the happiest times of my life,’ he said. ‘We used to get a pound day-saver from Hattersley to Hyde, then Hyde to Belle Vue and then the 54 to the curry mile.

‘We’d walk down to Maine Road, soaking wet, get beat 2-1 by Grimsby and then you’d go back to the curry mile. You’d get back in at half eight.’

It’s at this point Campbell – hoping to replicate his father’s boxing success – interjected: ‘I’m not having it that you were getting in at half eight!’

The 23-year-old is also a regular at the Etihad and has done European away trips this season. He’s partial to a pie and a pint in the famous Mary D’s and devours the peppercorn gravy on chips at the chip shop next door.

‘After my last fight I went away to the game at Young Boys,’ Campbell said. ‘You put yourself through hell in the gym but think, “I can have a pie and a pint at the end of this.”’