Lucas Paquetá

Hammers sponsor raised red flag as we wait on Paqueta

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Lucas Paqueta is injured for the West Ham v Brighton game

Hammers sponsor raised red flag as we wait on Paqueta

West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta‘s fate hangs in the balance as the Football Association investigation into potential betting rule breaches continues. Intriguingly, West Ham’s own sponsor, Betway, raised the red flag about unusual betting activity originating from Brazil. Bookmakers expressed significant concern over these patterns.

Hammers sponsor raised red flag as we wait on Paqueta

Back in August, just as Manchester City eyed a bid for the Brazilian, suspicious betting patterns linked to multiple yellow cards surfaced, triggering an inquiry.
Since then, silence has shrouded the investigation, with Paqueta quietly continuing his key role for the Hammers. The only public revelation was him handing over his phone to the FA.
Proving allegations like these without concrete evidence, like texts or emails, is notoriously challenging. However, a guilty verdict could bring severe consequences, potentially including a suspension.
Either outcome spells uncertainty for West Ham. A guilty verdict likely means a suspension for Paqueta, while an innocent one could reignite Manchester City’s interest. While the club might have preferred the situation to prolong, a resolution is unavoidable.
Try as we may it has been impossible to discover exactly when the FA will make an announcement which is of course usually their way.
Worrying times for the club and fans although it has to be said the man at the centre of the issue seems entirely unaffected such has been his magnificence.

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Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!"

Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon