Betting Investigation Stalls Paqueta’s $90M Move to Man City

An investigation by the Football Association (FA) into an alleged betting activity related to Lucas Paqueta, the West Ham star, dating back to last year continues to hold the soccer player’s signing with Manchester City. Talks have been on hold since last August in what was expected to be a temporary halt. The move came despite Man City and West Ham agreeing on an initial deal for the midfielder estimated at a whopping £70 million ($89.3 million).

Now, as announced by The Times, West Ham remains dedicated to completing Paqueta’s transfer to Man City. The publication cited the intentions of the soccer star’s camp, revealing that they expect a ruling from the FA to be announced prior to a transfer window that is set to open on June 14. In case the FA issues a ruling, the path may be clear for the completion of the transfer, valued at nearly $90 million.

With the investigation still ongoing, it is unclear whether Man City will be able to tap into the talent of the West Ham star this summer. This is because transfers are usually completed during the summer. Yet, amid uncertainty brought by the FA probe, it is unclear whether or not the transfer would be completed in time.

Back in March, Paqueta was interviewed by BBC and revealed that he is assisting the FA as much as he can in light of the investigation of the alleged breaches of the betting rules. At the time, he explained: “It’s been seven months since it happened and I’m cooperating as much as I can.”

Additionally, the soccer star pointed out: “I’m happy to be helping, I hope to help at the end of the season.” Paqueta revealed that his team continues to support him. The West Ham star has continuously denied breaching the rules.

Betting Probe after Three Yellow Cards

The investigation against the 26-year-old soccer star stemmed from bets placed in Brazil. Allegedly, several bets related to a game where Paqueta was booked were flagged for suspicious betting activity.

In the game in question, the soccer star received three yellow cards. This happened during the 2022-2023 season. Due to the alleged breaches of the betting rules, the suspicious bets were reported by a betting authority in Brazil to the FA and FIFA.

Subsequently, the FA launched its betting investigation into Paqueta. With the probe ongoing it remains to be confirmed whether it would further impact the future deal for the soccer star’s transfer. Alternatively, if the hurdle is cleared in time, the transfer may be completed as early as this summer.