Lucas Paqueta 40-year ban mooted amid FA charges for West Ham United star
West Ham ace Lucas Paqueta should face a 40-year ban if he is found guilty of breaching FA betting rules, according to a player who was previously punished.
Kynan Isaac received a 10-year band for an alleged deliberate yellow card when playing for Stratford Town in a 2021 FA Cup tie, with the now 31-year-old denying any wrongdoing over the incident.
Hammers star Paqueta was charged with four alleged breaches of betting rules in Premier League games between November 2022 and August 2023 (Football Association website). The Brazil midfielder has also denied any wrongdoing and vowed to prove his innocence.
Isaac thinks that if Paqueta were to be found guilty of all charges, each should be hit with the same 10-year sanction he received.
In an interview with The Athletic (19 June), he said: “It will be interesting to see if they keep up with the guidelines they’ve now set. I’ve done it one time and got 10 years.
“It’s basic maths, he should get 40 years and not play football again. But do I see it happening? Probably not.”
West Ham unclear on Lucas Paqueta’s playing future
Prior to the FA investigations against him, Paqueta was heavily linked with a move away from the London Stadium and even this summer it had been reported he could be on the move.
A move to Manchester City looked to be on cards for a fee north of £60million, but any chance of the Irons recouping the £50million they reportedly paid in 2022 went up in smoke as soon as news of his suspicious yellow cards surfaced [Martin Hardy].
The Hammers will have been preparing to replace him this summer regardless given the speculation from the Etihad, but now he will likely be staying put for the time being (his FA hearing isn’t scheduled until the new season begins), it remains to be seen how the club’s transfer policy is affected.
New head coach Julen Lopetegui has not shied away from chasing targets out wide and in attacking midfield this summer, signing Brazilian compatriot Luis Guilherme from Palmeiras, but Paqueta’s status as a player in the squad will remain under a cloud until a verdict is reached on his future [GE Globo].
In other West Ham news, contract details have emerged as the club agreed a transfer deal with FC Copenhagen for Nathan Trott.
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