Recently, a long-term saga ended for Brazilian and West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta as he was cleared of spot fixing charges following an FA investigation.
While the player can now return to business as usual, will he opt to depart East London?
Lucas Paqueta’s Charges
Lucas Paqueta has been under investigation since August 2023 until recently, for alleged spot fixing charges, suggesting that the player deliberately breached betting rules and obtained deliberate yellow cards in various matches.
The charges that were suggested relate to four Premier League matches over the course of three years. The matches in which the offences were alleged to have taken place were against Leicester in November 2022, Aston Villa in March 2023, Leeds in May 2023 and Bournemouth in August 2024.
Such was the severity of the alleged charges, that the FA were seeking a lifetime ban for the Brazilian midfielder.
Paqueta continued to feature throughout the investigation for West Ham. However, a potential move to Manchester City during the investigation was prohibited as the player awaited the outcome.
Why He Might Leave West Ham
Although last season was not successful for the East London side, Paqueta continued to show elements of his flair and quality, indicating that he is deserving of a move to a higher-level side.
When the former Lyon midfielder signed for West Ham, he joined in a club record £51 million deal, and the club may accumulate most of that fee once more should they opt to part ways with him.
Throughout his time with West Ham, Paqueta’s passing accuracy has predominantly remained above 70%, and fans have enjoyed the element of Brazilian flair to his game. Paqueta excels with intricate touches and turns on the ball, consistently winning fouls, which has been useful for West Ham.
Furthermore, the East London side have struggled on recent occasions, and Paqueta may be sensing that he may want to depart the club, to continue playing high-level football.
Although West Ham do not need to acquire the funds that Paqueta would bring, the player is a useful asset that would provide funds to strengthen multiple positions in the squad.
The East London side have been linked with players including James MacAtee and Harvey Elliott, both of whom would require a sizeable fee to join West Ham.
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Conclusion
It is important to stress that there have not been prevalent links with Lucas Paqueta this summer, and Graham Potter will look to retain such an asset as his side start the next Premier League campaign.
However, there have been various occasions on whereby a move has been rumoured for the player.
The Brazilian is 27 years old and is also in the prime of his career, and, now that he has the opportunity to play with a weight lifted off his shoulders, the player may look to play more European football.
Overall, Paqueta is a player who may be deserving of a higher-level move, and, although concrete rumours are yet to surface, the Hammers are interested in young players who may easily help to replace the flair and trickery that they may lose with his departure.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / Icon Sportswire
Recording Date: 03.08.2025