FA at risk of Paqueta legal action

Free man: Four charges against Lucas Paqueta were 

found to be not proven on the ‘balance of probabilities’

West Ham midfielder cleared of all four spot-fixing charges

Players’ lawyers could launch case to reclaim lost earnings

‘To my wife, to West Ham United, 

to the fans who cheered me on 

– thank you for everything’

1 ago 2025 - The Daily Telegraph / Sport

By Jason Burt and Matt Law

West Ham United will not take legal action against the Football Association after Lucas Paqueta was cleared of spot-fixing charges, and will let the player and his lawyers decide whether they want to sue for damages.

The FA was pushing for a lifetime ban for the Brazil international, 27, and now faces serious questions as to why it brought the case, how strong it was and why it argued for such severe punishment.

There is anger and frustration at West Ham over the time it has taken – it is almost two years since the FA launched its investigation – for the case to be completed and for the independent regulatory commission to reach its verdict.

The FA may face legal action from Paqueta for loss of commercial earnings, for example, as he can argue he will have been denied sponsorship deals while the charges were hanging over him and his reputation was in question.

It will be more difficult, but still possible, to argue that his career was damaged by the collapse of an £85m move to Manchester City, which he was set to complete when the allegations were made.

Paqueta’s legal team will wait to receive the full written reasons for the verdict before deciding if there is any action to be taken. However, it may be decided that it is best for Paqueta, who has struggled with the enormity of the situation and its potential ramifications, to draw a line under it all and get on with his career.

Under FA rules on such hearings, Paqueta will pay his own legal fees, the FA will pay those it has incurred and it is also expected to foot the bill for the commission. A figure of £1m has been cited.

The saga is understood to have taken a huge toll on Paqueta and his family and, according to a senior source, West Ham have no intention of selling the midfielder unless he wants to leave and they receive “an offer they cannot refuse”.

It would have to be in excess of £60m to be of interest. Paqueta has impressed in pre-season – West Ham are in the United States – after a difficult end to the last campaign, during which head coach Graham Potter had to leave him out because of the effect the case had on him.

Paqueta was in tears after being booked against Tottenham Hotspur in May. His wife, Maria Fournier, posted afterwards on Instagram that they had “been living this nightmare for two years”. After being charged by the FA last year, Paqueta said he was “extremely surprised and upset”.

Paqueta feels loyalty towards West Ham for the way they have supported him through the process. This may also make him more inclined to stay now that he has been cleared.

The FA started its investigation in August 2023 and Paqueta was charged in May last year for allegedly getting deliberately booked “for the improper purpose of affecting the betting market”.

The four charges related to four games – a Premier League match against Leicester City on Nov 12, 2022, and fixtures the following year against Aston Villa on March 12, Leeds United on May 21 and Bournemouth on Aug 12.

The original FA charges alleged that Paqueta got himself booked so that “one or more persons” could benefit financially, although there was never any suggestion that he profited or had bet on games himself.

Betting firms allow gamblers to place such wagers but, since 2014, the FA rules have stated that anyone associated with a club in the top eight tiers of English football cannot bet on any aspect of the sport worldwide.

The regulatory commission found the four charges to be “not proven” following the hearing, which finally ended in April.

Paqueta also denied two counts of failing to comply with his obligation to answer questions and provide information to the FA’S investigation, but these were found to be “proven”.

The commission said it would decide an appropriate sanction “at the earliest opportunity”.

The standard of proof was based on a “balance of probabilities” – as in civil cases – as opposed to “beyond reasonable doubt”, which is used in criminal proceedings, but legal sources have questioned the strength of the FA case, particularly as it was pushing for such a severe punishment but appeared to be depending on a large amount of circumstantial evidence.

In a statement, Paqueta said: “Since the first day of this investigation, I have maintained my innocence against these extremely serious accusations. I can’t say anything more at this time but I would like to express how grateful I am to God and how eager I am to return to playing football with a smile on my face.

“To my wife who never let go of my hand, to West Ham United, to the fans who always cheered me on, and to my family, friends and the legal team who have supported me – thank you for everything.”

West Ham vice-chair Karren Brady said the club were “pleased” with the verdict and “resolutely stood by” Paqueta – who joined from Lyon for an initial £36.5m in August 2022 – throughout the process.