Richarlison sends message to Paqueta as West Ham star cleared in FA trial
West Ham ace Lucas Paqueta has received support from Richarlison after he was cleared of any wrongdoing.
The 27-year-old had been charged with deliberately being booked on four separate occasions to influence betting markets, leading to an FA hearing against him.
The FA were seeking a lifetime ban for Paqueta, which could have seen his footballing career at the elite level effectively ended.
However, he always denied the charges that were put against him, and the London Stadium outfit always stuck by the Brazilian playmaker.
Bowen and Fornals also react to Paqueta news
There had been reports that the West Ham star would be cleared, but no official confirmation had been released.
However, Paqueta took to Instagram (31 July) to announce that he had been found not guilty in relation to the offences, thanking the club, supporters, his family and his lawyers.
Tottenham star Richarlison commented with a raised hands emoji, showing support for his compatriot and fellow top-flight player.
The post was liked by current East London teammate Jarrod Bowen and former Hammers star Pablo Fornals.
Paqueta can be a star against for West Ham
The Irons’ attacking midfielder looked set to move to Manchester City for £80million, but that move was curtailed by the investigation and may not be revived.
His mental state and on-pitch performances have been affected by the cloud hanging over his head for the last two years, with the Brazil ace notching just four goal contributions in the last campaign after bagging 10 the previous season.
Graham Potter and Co can now focus on getting Paqueta back into the fold and enjoying his football again, without the worry of a potential life-changing sanction, if they are planning to keep him around.
The fact that it has taken this long to decide the outcome is nothing less than a shambles, and all parties will be glad that it is over.
If the E20 side were planning to sell Paqueta then his value will have taken a major hit, and he will be worth around the £30m mark, rather than the £80m that had been agreed on before.
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