West Ham urged to sell Paqueta as FA hearing outcome emerges
Lucas Paqueta’s fate looks to have finally been decided after months of waiting at West Ham.
Graham Potter’s side were understood to be furious with the delays to the outcome of the case that was brought against the Brazil star.
He was accused of deliberately being booked on four separate occasions to influence gambling markets, but denied the charges.
Paqueta faced a lifetime ban if he was found guilty, but he looks set to avoid severe punishment after an update emerged.
Paqueta set to be cleared amid West Ham exit talk
The West Ham star is reportedly set to be cleared of any wrongdoing in a remarkable verdict after months of mental turmoil.
Former Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill believes that the Hammers should sell the Brazilian despite the impending positive outcome.
Speaking live on talkSPORT (28 July, 11:01 am), he said: “In terms of where West Ham stand, honestly, it has been a long-running saga; it has not helped the player at all, it has not helped the football club.
“Maybe if there is a move to go back home again, for West Ham, regardless of how much you might have lost out on, I think you should just say ‘okay, you just start your career again elsewhere’.”
West Ham could fund transfer spree with Paqueta sale
The allegations had derailed a potential £80million move to Manchester City, which would have been a great move for the player and the club.
However, they look set to receive less than half of that this summer, if they decide to sell him, with a move to Flamengo being touted.
The move would likely suit Paqueta, who may just want to escape to his homeland after all the trouble that he has been put through.
Quite frankly, it is a huge shame on the FA that proceedings have taken this long, hampering the player and the Irons in the process, as the limbo rumbled on for far longer than it should have.
It is dragged on into the transfer window, and now Potter and Co face a race against time to sell the 27-year-old and find his replacement, if that is what they decide to do.
David Sullivan already has a long list of areas to recruit for, and another one would only add to the pile of work that he has to achieve this summer.
Ultimately, O’Neill may be right, both parties may just want to wash their hands of the whole thing and end their association, but it may not be that simple.
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