West Ham United star Lucas Paqueta is expected to win his two-year fight to save his career after the Football Association accused him of picking up yellow cards on purpose in order to influence betting outcomes.
Paqueta was facing a potential life ban if found guilty, but the relieved Brazilian is set to receive the news from the independent panel who tried his case that they do not believe he was involved in a spot-fixing conspiracy.
Mail Sport broke the story of the FA’s probe back in August 2023.
At that time, the investigation scuppered his proposed £80million move from West Ham to Manchester City.
That led to Paqueta being charged in May 2024 with four counts of spot‑fixing – relating to cautions shown in Premier League fixtures against Leicester City, Aston Villa, Leeds United, and Bournemouth – and a further two of obstructing an FA investigation.
Alongside that charge sheet was believed to be a recommendation that he is banned for life if proven that he was picking up cards to win cash for those betting on him in Brazil and elsewhere.
West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta is expected to be cleared of spot-fixing after a two-year investigation
Paqueta was charged with purposefully picking up yellow cards in order to influence betting markets – with four counts of spot‑fixing and a further two of obstructing an FA investigation
The Brazilian will be keen to rediscover his best form, which has suffered during the FA investigation
However, Paqueta is now expected to be successful in what became one of the most high-profile corruption cases ever seen in English football.
It is understood West Ham were informed of the verdict on Friday but sources on that day told enquirers they had been sworn to secrecy until the FA announced the decision themselves.
The Hammers were furious with how the FA allowed their investigation to drag on for so long. It left a cloud hanging over one of their best players for two years with Paqueta considered a special type of talent who can turn a game on its head in an instant.
It was his assist for Jarrod Bowen which saw them beat Fiorentina in the Conference League final in Prague in June 2023, marking their first major trophy in 43 years.
His manager for that triumph was David Moyes, the now-Everton boss who Mail Sport previously revealed even acted as a witness in a significant section of his defence against the FA’s claims.
Sources close to Paqueta say it has been a tormenting time for him personally. The yellow he received against Leicester, on November 12, 2022, was nearly 1,000 days ago.
Ever since learning that he was being investigated, the 27-year-old strenuously insisted he was innocent and believed he would clear his name.
West Ham supported Paqueta throughout it all, though the Premier League club had long feared that the odds were stacked against them and their player.
Graham Potter will be delighted to be able to call on the services of the 27-year-old this season and beyond
Paqueta pictured at West Ham’s London Stadium with his wife Maria Fournier, who admitted the couple have been ‘living this nightmare for two years’ in an emotional statement in May
Last October, the midfielder took to Instagram to express his frustration at ‘misleading and inaccurate’ leaks regarding his case.
‘Some of that information is entirely false and appears designed to undermine my position,’ he wrote. ‘I am also concerned that, although they are false and misleading, these articles are clearly sourced from an individual close to the case.
‘The FA proceedings are supposed to be confidential, and they are extremely serious for me and my family. The continued leaking and publication of inaccurate information in the press is now putting at risk my chance of receiving fair hearing.
‘I have, therefore, instructed my lawyers to write to The FA to request that they conduct a thorough investigation into how information about the case, even if inaccurate, is finding its way into the public domain. I continue to deny the charges against me and look forward to demonstrating my innocence.’
As previously reported, that was due to the standard of proof being based on a ‘balance of probabilities’ – as in civil law cases – as opposed to the more rigorous ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’ threshold in criminal proceedings.
Paqueta has been a key player for West Ham since signing from Lyon for a club-record £51million in 2022.
