West Ham Online

"Sport Bible New report on Lucas Paqueta's spot-fixing charges reveals how much of next season West Ham star can play There has been an update on Paqueta's case. Alex Brotherton Lucas Paqueta will be free to play for West Ham for most of next season despite facing spot-fixing charges. Paqueta has been charged by the Football Association with four separate instances of spot-fixing. The 28-year-old stands accused of deliberately getting himself booked during four Premier League matches. It is one of the most serious cases of spot-fixing involving a top-flight player in England, and could land Paqueta with a lengthy ban. However, the Brazil international can continue to play until the disciplinary process has been completed. According to The Times, the outcome of the process could be delayed until the end of the 2024-25 season or beyond. That is due to the complexity of the case; Paqueta's lawyers say it will take many months to secure all the witness statements and relevant information they need for their defence. That's because the case spans three countries - England, Brazil and Spain - and involves a large number of people. The charges allege that Paqueta got himself booked during matches against Leicester City, Aston Villa, Leeds United and Bournemouth over the past two seasons so that “one or more persons” could profit financially. The investigation that preceded the charges took eight months. In September 2023, Brazilian outlet Globo reported that suspicious gambling patterns were identified in Brazil relating to Paqueta being booked against Aston Villa in March that year. The bets were reportedly made using West Ham's shirt sponsor Betway, via accounts belonging to people linked to Paqueta. The FA initially gave the player until June 3 to respond to the charges, but his lawyers were granted an extension. English football's governing body has refused to put a timescale on the case. Paqueta has been linked with a move to Brazilian giants Flamengo this summer, but this latest development will give encouragement to new West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui that he can use the midfielderthis season."

Feel a bit nervous now.

I can’t see how it can go against him. The case is too flimsy. It should have been concluded at least a year ago.

 I reckon he gets acquitted, sold to Flamengo for a massive loss, and we go quietly back in our corner.

At least the conclusion to the saga is on us one way or the other. 

Just have to hope it goes our way. 

Squeaky bum time 

Lucas Paqueta and West Ham supposedly .. will find out the verdict of his FA tribunal hearing today (Friday 25 July)

exile I totally agree, I think the FA are still looking for the smoking gun and to think they can find him guilty on probability is farcical.

Never thought I'd say this but the clowns at the FA are probably more inept than the ones that sit in our boardroom 

I read somewhere that the case could still drag on until February, which is utterly insane. I can't understand why the club, and/or Paquetà himself, can't sue the bollocks off the FA for this completely unacceptable delay.

The bloke doesn’t really want to be here and these charges have basically threatened to ruin his life at any second for the last two years and trapped him here which is absolutely handicapping him and us and has cost all parties millions of pounds. I don’t like that he has wanted to leave for the last two years but it’s a disgrace it’s gone on this long and to be fair I feel a bit sorry for him as much as one can for a multi millionaire footballer. 

I like to see him play. Didn't have a great season, but still a player to watch. He always put in a shift, even when it's not working for him. Does a lot of work to break play up. Does give the ball away too much and too often in a dangerous area. That is his biggest problem, which I think he should be able to imporve on, but it's been going on too long. Really hope he is with us next season and looks like he will be with thia nonsense hanging over him making a sale near impossible.
Joke of a situation, FA are crap.

I think it has had an effect and I have cut him more than enough slack to forgive a fair few performances but overall I wasn't impressed with him last season come the end of it. It did feel like it was always a convenient excuse and he became a bit untouchable because of it. What got to me as well is he's on fantastic money so the effort at the very least should have seen him do more and at times I thought he hid where it just wasn't acceptable. When he's good, he's great to see but those performances are few and far between for my liking and it was a bit like that even before the ongoing case. 

TBH Massive son, I tend to agree with you. However if he DIDN’T have this case hanging over him, would he have been as poor as he has been? Honestly believe it’s affected his game, and we’ve been robbed of a very decent (minus the falling to the floor when the player behind him farts) player.

MaryMillingtonsGhost wrote: ↑20 Jul 2025, 16:18

Massive Attack" wrote: ↑20 Jul 2025, 16:12 Does he still play for us? Haven't seen much of him on the pitch over the past season or so.

Hhmmmmm. Wonder if there may be an underlying problem/reason for this?

Massive Attack" wrote: ↑20 Jul 2025, 16:12 Does he still play for us? Haven't seen much of him on the pitch over the past season or so.

Does he still play for us? Haven't seen much of him on the pitch over the past season or so.

Alfs wrote: ↑20 Jul 2025, 15:38 Clickbait conjecture is all it is.

Clickbait conjecture is all it is.

If true that’s absolutely insane. This is shocking lack of care of duty to the player and disrespect to us. 

All they can be doing is desperately trying to find ‘new’ evidence. It makes no sense other than malice to have concluded and then not announce it for nine months. 

Could be entirely made-up bullshit as I did read it on C&H, that the inquiry result is now due to be delivered next February!

The club and Paqueta need to absolutely slaughter the FA over this long drawn out fiasco
 

Whatever the outcome the media will side with the FA. They know who butters their toast.

The FA have completely fumbled this investigation. They’ve taken two years and still haven’t come to a verdict. During all this time, they leaked stories to the press and basically called him out as guilty before a fair and impartial trial could take place. They hung the threat of a lifetime ban over his head. They stopped him from getting a transfer to Man City, and prevented us from getting a significant transfer fee, possibly with Cole Palmer in exchange for.

We should take them to the cleaners.

They had his phone for 8 weeks
Understandably in that case he got a new one
When they returned the old one he got rid of it as he had a new one
A bit later they asked for the first phone AGAIN and then pretended that getting rid of it was evidence of wrong doing
Desperate nonsense from utter incompetents
They owe us £85m

On The Ball" wrote: ↑14 Jul 2025, 15:17

 

But it would need to have such evidence on there, right? If he hasn't said "Bet on the 34th minute" or suchlike, what can they garner from it? If he's done it all by calls, it could be clean?

The other thing regarding the phone is, surely if youre planning a few betting shenanigans you'd hop down to Brazil Argos for a Nokia and a PAYG SIM card? Not use the top spec contract iPhone that everyone knows you have. 

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Gank wrote: ↑14 Jul 2025, 15:08

honky cat" wrote: ↑14 Jul 2025, 15:04

Fauxstralian wrote: ↑14 Jul 2025, 04:49  If we and the player agree not to sue them.



 

I don't think member clubs or players can sue the FA.

I think that's just the Premier League, but I'm not 100%