Author: Amrit Santlani
West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paquetá is being investigated for three yellow cards related to a betting situation. According to a report in the English newspaper “Daily Mail”, some family members had bet that the player would receive yellow cards, including a warning on the first matchday of the 2023-24 Premier League season.
Paquetá received a yellow card in the 49th minute of the 1-1 draw against Bournemouth on August 12. The latest warning has put the Brazilian under the spotlight of the Football Association, which has been investigating the player for almost five months.
According to the same report, the player’s suspicious activity was reported to the FA by the anti-corruption authorities. Before being cautioned in the second half for a complaint, Paquetá had committed a foul that deserved a yellow, but escaped being booked.
In addition to the latest caution, the Brazilian is also being investigated for his yellow cards last season, the first during the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa on March 11. The second infringement came during the 3-1 win over Leeds on May 21.
The player was unaware that he had been under investigation for the last five months and has yet to give a statement on the matter. Although Paquetá is willing to testify, West Ham have asked for three weeks to “better understand” the investigation.
Meanwhile, the 25-year-old has been ruled out of Brazil’s next international qualifiers against Bolivia and Peru on September 8 and 12 for the 2026 World Cup.
Brazil coach Fernando Diniz insisted that he likes the player
although there are other issues that need to be clarified for the midfielder’s future.
“Paquetá was on the list. He’s a player I really like. It’s not a question of pre-judging either. On the contrary. It’s a question of preservation and letting Paquetá resolve these issues that go beyond soccer” said the coach.
In the meantime, due to the ongoing investigation, Manchester City have decided not to pursue a transfer, having identified the Brazilian as an important target to strengthen their midfield.