West Ham playmaker Lucas Paquetá is expected to take the field for the Hammers’ clash against Wolves at Molineux on Tuesday night.
However, the Premier League fixture coincides with the conclusion of the Brazilian’s FA hearing into alleged betting breaches. The Football Association is now expected to take an extended period to deliberate on their verdict.
Within the past hour, a top source has informed Claret & Hugh: “This could continue for a third week.”
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With little information leaking from the hearing, and no indication of the thinking from the three-man panel, news of a possible extension is neither a positive nor negative sign—it simply signals that the process is far from over. The hearing was expected to be concluded within two weeks so this latest twist could be new evidence or any number of things.
What it does mean, however, is that Paquetá is free to play against Wolves, with a final decision not expected until the end of next week at the earliest.
The Hammers’ record signing is not required to attend each day of the hearing in person and is expected to travel with the squad to the Midlands ahead of Tuesday’s match.