Lucas Paquetas Turbulent England Premier League Chapter Nears Its End
Lucas Paqueta appears close to leaving West Ham after years of strain caused by the FA’s 22-month betting investigation. Despite being cleared, the probe derailed his £80 million Manchester City move and dropped his value to £30 to 40 million.
Lucas Paqueta appears close to leaving West Ham after years of strain caused by the FA’s 22-month betting investigation. Despite being cleared, the probe derailed his £80 million Manchester City move and dropped his value to £30 to 40 million. His 2 yellows in the 83rd minute versus Liverpool intensified frustrations, pushing exit talks forward.
For the embattled midfielder Lucas Paqueta, the latest flashpoint in West Ham’s loss to Liverpool felt like the final chapter of a turbulent Premier League journey. The Brazilian was sent off in the 83rd minute for dissent, a moment that underlined the frustration he has carried through a 22-month FA investigation into alleged betting violations.
Paqueta had been accused of intentionally earning yellow cards in four Premier League matches linked to 253 suspicious bets worth £47,000 that produced £167,000 in winnings. The case never proved his involvement, and in July 2025, an independent commission dismissed all major charges after finding no incriminating messages on his phones and highlighting the FA’s failure to properly analyse betting data. He was only reprimanded for two minor cooperation breaches, with the FA ordered to pay 90 percent of legal costs.
Despite the verdict, the ordeal damaged Paqueta’s mental state and career. It blocked an £80 million move to Manchester City in 2023 and reportedly reduced his market value to around £30 to 40 million. His red card against Liverpool and comments about feeling abandoned by the FA have fuelled expectations he will leave West Ham soon. With the club struggling near relegation, sources suggest Paqueta sees this campaign as his final season in England.
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