After two years of stress, lost opportunities, and a collapsed dream move to Manchester City, Lucas Paqueta is now considering taking the fight back to the Football Association.
The West Ham midfielder, who was cleared of all spot-fixing allegations earlier this summer, is in talks with his legal team about suing the FA after a scathing judgment tore holes in the governing body’s case.
The 314-page ruling, described as one of the longest sports-related judgments in history, didn’t just clear Paqueta—it heavily criticised the FA’s handling of the investigation, describing parts of the case as “surprising,” “concerning,” and “contradictory.”
A Case That Nearly Ended His Career
For Paqueta, the ordeal was nothing short of career-altering. In 2023, the Brazilian was on the verge of completing an £85 million transfer to Manchester City. Instead, news broke that he was under FA investigation, and the move collapsed. The governing body even pushed for a lifetime ban if he had been found guilty.
While he was eventually cleared of deliberately picking up four yellow cards to influence betting, the damage was already done. City went on to win the Premier League that season—success Paqueta might have shared in.
His lawyer, Alistair Campbell of London firm Level, said the midfielder feels “aggrieved” and is exploring legal action. “It’s something that’s very much at the forefront of our minds,” Campbell explained. “Lucas has suffered significant losses in terms of career progression and earnings. An exoneration doesn’t fill an empty trophy cabinet.”
FA’s Case Torn Apart
The commission’s judgment was damning. Central to the FA’s claims was the idea that 27 individuals connected to Paqueta had placed suspicious bets on him receiving yellow cards in four matches between 2022 and 2023. Those bets produced around £170,000 in profit.
But the commission concluded the betting patterns looked less like deliberate manipulation and more like “hot tips” spreading through Paqueta’s friends and family in Brazil. None of the bets were maximised, and the fluctuations in stakes made the theory of spot-fixing less believable.
Phone records also failed to support the FA’s suspicions. While investigators hinted that Paqueta might have deleted incriminating evidence, forensic analysis found no such thing. Deleted messages he recovered even worked in his favour, showing no connection to fixing attempts.
Key Witnesses Undermined
The FA’s reliance on its own staff as “experts” was another major flaw. Its main betting integrity officer, Tom Astley, was ruled not to be an independent witness, given his employment with the FA. To make matters worse, the FA’s own legal counsel openly disagreed with Astley’s claim that betting activity was “highly orchestrated”—a contradiction that the commission flagged as deeply concerning.
On the football side, the FA’s performance expert also lacked independence, having been involved in the investigation before charges were even brought. In contrast, Paqueta had heavyweight support. Former West Ham boss David Moyes and ex-referee Mark Clattenburg both gave testimony, reinforcing the view that nothing in his behaviour on the pitch suggested deliberate bookings.
The Bournemouth Booking That Didn’t Add Up
One of the FA’s key allegations involved Paqueta’s yellow card against Bournemouth in August 2023. But the commission dismantled that argument too. At the time, Paqueta had asked not to play as he was in advanced talks with Manchester City.
The judgment pointed out that he stayed out of risky challenges for most of the game and only received a caution in stoppage time—hardly the actions of someone chasing a deliberate card. “If it is accepted by the commission that in this particular match he was obviously not trying to deliberately get booked,” the report stated, the FA’s claim fell apart.
FA Left Embarrassed Again
This is not an isolated blow for the FA. Just a day earlier, they were forced to pay more than £100,000 to Nottingham Forest after losing a separate legal battle involving claims of bias.
Now, with the Paqueta judgment exposing gaps in procedure, credibility, and independence, their investigative approach is under the spotlight once again.
The FA has already confirmed they will not appeal the decision.
Instead, they issued a statement insisting they remain committed to “maintaining the integrity of football” and conducting “thorough investigations” into serious allegations.
What Happens Next for Paqueta?
Although Paqueta was found guilty of failing to fully cooperate during parts of the investigation—a charge that will likely only result in a fine—the overwhelming outcome is a complete exoneration on the main charges.
Now, the big question is whether he will go ahead and sue.
His legal team is weighing up the financial and reputational damage caused by the investigation.
With a collapsed transfer, lost earnings, and the stigma of suspicion, the midfielder believes he deserves more than just his name cleared.
As lawyer Nick De Marco KC summed it up: “This was the biggest case in the FA’s history.
The judgment, over 300 pages long, is forensic and comprehensive. It is clear that Lucas Paqueta has been vindicated.”
For Paqueta, the fight with the FA may be over—but the battle for compensation might just be beginning.