Brazilian star Lucas Paqueta is currently facing potential charges over allegations of betting. Paqueta, who is one of the most sought-after midfielders in the Premier League, has come under the radar of the Football Association (FA). However, if the rumors stand to be true, Paqueta, who arrived at West Ham for a club record transfer fee of $65 million, is set to be sidelined from soccer for a long time.
According to reports from the Daily Mail, Lucas Paqueta is suspected of having placed some bets in Brazil. The British news outlet has confirmed that the FA is currently probing into the matter. However, sources close to the West Ham star have denied the allegations. Moreover, it is also understood that Paqueta was quite shocked and taken aback to hear such allegations against him.
Man City move for Lucas Paqueta is on hold because of concerns surrounding a FIFA / FA betting investigation. Player is surprised and shocked. Investigation is believed to be about bets that were placed in Brazil, not by him. No bets on his bank statements. £80m deal to City had…
— Kaveh Solhekol (@SkyKaveh) August 18, 2023
Meanwhile, this has led to Manchester City calling off their almost-agreed deal with Lucas Paqueta. The reigning Premier League champions were considering Paqueta as an option to replace Kevin De Bruyne. With the Belgian midfielder set to be out till the end of the year, Paqueta emerged as the most viable option for City. City had reportedly agreed to a $101 million move for the former Lyon midfielder.
Lucas Paquetá deal, now on the verge of collapsing. 🚨🔵⛔️🇧🇷 #MCFC
Negotiations currently off between Manchester City and West Ham. pic.twitter.com/uE8LAzGGEc
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 18, 2023
Although Manchester City has now called off the deal, they could renew their interests if Paqueta manages to stay inculpable. In the meantime, Paqueta remains focused and available for West Ham, hoping to get his charges cleared as soon as possible. However, neither Lucas Paqueta nor the Football Association have yet made any official comment on this matter.
Is Lucas Paqueta set to suffer the same fate as Ivan Toney for alleged betting charges?
Lucas Paqueta’s betting allegations have brought to mind Ivan Toney’s recent suspension. English striker Ivan Toney was found guilty of placing bets back in May this year. The FA stated that Toney had breached rules on as many as 264 occasions between 2017 and 2021. After Toney pleaded guilty to 232 charges, the FA suspended him for 8 months and also handed him a $62,000 fine.
Although as per reports, the FA initially wanted to suspend Ivan Toney for 15 months. However, on the advice of Dr. Philip Hopley, the FA reduced his suspension to 8 months. Dr. Hopley diagnosed that the Brentford star suffers from gambling addiction and required professional help. Currently, Lucas Paqueta might also face similar punishment if found guilty.
