Lucas Paqueta and West Ham have received a major scare amid news of a potential four-year ban elsewhere as the verdict in his spot-fixing case looms large.
As the long-running investigation and case nears a verdict in the coming days and weeks, a new report will have the Hammers and their Brazilian magnifico gravely concerned.
The future of Lucas Paqueta is still clouded by uncertainty due to the spot-fixing case that has been hanging over the West Ham playmaker for almost two years.
The FA are pushing to have West Ham’s record £51m signing Paqueta banned for life from top level football if he is found guilty of deliberately being booked on four separate occasions to influence betting markets.
Paqueta and West Ham get almighty scare
There has been intense speculation about Paqueta’s West Ham future if he is cleared of any wrongdoing.
Especially with the Hammers needing to sell players to raise transfer funds for Graham Potter.
After the last game of the season at Ipswich, Paqueta appeared to wave goodbye to West Ham fans in strange fashion, deliberately standing apart from his teammates as he did so.
West Ham confirmed Saudi clubs are interested in Paqueta.
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Although it has since been claimed Paqueta has asked the Hammers board to let him return to boyhood club Flamengo in Brazil.
Lucas Paqueta receiving one of four yellow cards which form the FA's spot-fixing case against him during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and West Ham at the Vitality Stadium on August 12, 2023
Photo by Henry Browne/Getty Images
The Hammers will be looking to raise between £30-40m by selling Paqueta if he is cleared of any wrongdoing.
So the verdict of the case against him is quite simply huge for the Hammers and their prospects in this crucial summer window.
But Paqueta and West Ham have received an almighty scare after four-year ban news as a verdict looms.
It was previously claimed that a verdict in the Paqueta case was due around the end of June.
Four-year ban news fright for Hammers as verdict looms
When Paqueta burst into tears after being booked against Spurs towards the end of the season, it emerged that was because the spot-fixing hearing had resumed that week.
West Ham said there was no clarity on when an outcome was due last week.
But it is expected to be within days or weeks.
So news out of Italy this weekend will strike fear into Paqueta’s heart.
Because it is being claimed a Serie A star is facing a four-year ban as he, like Paqueta, stands accused of being deliberately booked to influence betting markets.
Juventus v Udinese - Serie A
Photo by sportinfoto/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images
Serie A goalkeeper stands accused of deliberate booking
Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye is ‘at risk of up to a four-year ban for sporting fraud’ after he was deferred to the disciplinary commission, reports Corriere Dello Sport.
Nigerian shot-stopper Okoye is accused of purposefully receiving a yellow card at the 64th minute during a Serie A match between Udinese and Lazio.
The match was played on March 11, 2024, and the 25-year-old former Watford man was booked for time-wasting with his team leading 2-1.
The report from Italy says Okoye was placed under investigation after a flurry of suspicious betting activity.
If found guilty of sporting fraud, the report states he risks up to a four-year ban.
Although they are two different hearings and completely separate cases, the worrying thing for West Ham and Paqueta is that Okoye stands accused of being deliberately booked on one occasion – whereas the Brazilian has four charges relating to bookings.
Paqueta actually also faces two additional FA rule breach charges, which you can read in full below.
This news from Italy will undoubtedly unnerve Paqueta and West Ham.
Although it was reported earlier this month that Paqueta’s legal team are ‘more confident than ever’ he’ll be cleared.
All six FA charges against West Ham star Paqueta
Lucas Paqueta has been officially charged with misconduct in relation to alleged breaches of FA Rules E5 and F3.
West Ham’s £51m record signing has been charged with four breaches of FA Rule E5.1 in relation to his conduct in the club’s Premier League fixtures against Leicester City on 12 November 2022; Aston Villa on 12 March 2023; Leeds United on 21 May 2023; and AFC Bournemouth on 12 August 2023.
It is alleged by the FA that Paqueta directly sought to influence the progress, conduct, or any other aspect of, or occurrence in these matches by intentionally seeking to receive a card from the referee for the improper purpose of affecting the betting market in order for one or more persons to profit from betting.
Video footage of those bookings has been frequently re-posted on social media and will form part of the FA’s evidence to a three-person independent panel.
In addition to those four charges, Paqueta has also been charged with two breaches of FA Rule F3 in respect of alleged failures to comply pursuant to FA Rule F2.
What are FA Rule F2 and F3?
FA Rule F2: This rule allows the FA to require any participant (player, coach, club official, etc.) to attend, answer questions, provide documents, information, or other materials, upon reasonable notice.
**FA Rule F3:**This rule defines misconduct as a breach, including failing to comply with a requirement under FA Rule F2.