Paqueta legal team considering sueing FA over damaging spot-fixing case

 

West Ham and Brazil midfielder Lucas Paqueta is considering suing the Football Association (FA) after he was cleared of spot-fixing, according to reports.

The news comes after the 28-year-old was charged by the FA in May 2024 for allegedly getting booked deliberately for the “improper purpose of affecting the betting market”, a charge that has since been cleared.

The investigation officially began in August 2023, beginning an ugly and lengthy saga which damaged the player’s reputation enough for Manchester City to pull out of their planned £80 million move for the midfielder that summer.

With the player still at West Ham and his performances clearly effected by the long-term off-pitch drama, sources close to Paqueta have reportedly told British media that the player’s lawyers are currently “considering all options”, with a legal challenge expected to follow suit.

Paqueta was cleared on four counts of supposed spot-fixing by an independent commission in July 2025. He has since hit form for West Ham, scoring the opener in the club’s eventual 1-5 loss to Chelsea. He also came extremely close to a deadline day switch to Aston Villa, though the move never materialised.

The FA’s decision not to call in independent expertise to assess Paqueta’s wrongdoing was called in to question on Wednesday as part of the commission’s written findings.

Paqueta’s legal team is now analysing the case and considering all options in response.

The commission noted that both Paqueta and West Ham would have “received substantial sums running into the tens of millions of pounds” had the saga never occurred, and that “both the player and West Ham reserve all of their rights in that regard”.

The FA has confirmed it will not be appealing against the decision, but has not commented further.