LUCAS PAQUETA asked West Ham boss David Moyes to leave him out of the Prem match that has led to him being hit with spot-fixing charges.
The Brazilian midfielder stands accused by the FA of deliberately getting booked in four games to help friends cash-in on bets.
Paqueta, 26, insists he is innocent and said: “The decision made me sad but my lawyers will now do everything to change it.”
SunSport understands he told Moyes he wanted to sit out last season’s Prem opener at Bournemouth over fears any injury could KO a proposed £80million transfer to Manchester City.
His 93rd-minute yellow card in that game triggered the FA investigation which could lead to a TEN-YEAR ban if he is found guilty.
Paqueta has until today to respond to FA charges that he was deliberately booked to help friends make money by betting, with the Hammers’ Prem games against Leicester, Aston Villa and Leeds in the 2022-23 season the others in which he is accused of spot-fixing.
He denies any wrongdoing and will point to the fact he sought to avoid one of the matches to raise doubts over the FA’s claims that he was involved in a betting sting.
Paqueta did not want to jeopardise his mooted move to the Etihad, which was in the process of being negotiated.
The two clubs subsequently agreed an £80million fee but the move collapsed the next week after City learned of the FA investigation.
Paqueta did not refuse to play but strongly indicated he would rather not be selected in talks with Moyes.
He eventually agreed to start following the intervention of other senior figures at West Ham.
SunSport has also been told that in talks with Moyes before the game, the West Ham manager suggested he would try to substitute Paqueta in the second half to reduce the risk of injury.
What games has Paqueta been charged for?
Lucas Paqueta’s four charges relate to the following games:
- West Ham vs Leicester – November 12 2022
- West Ham vs Aston Villa – March 12 2023
- West Ham vs Leeds May 21 2023
- West Ham vs Bournemouth August – 12 2023
But he remained on the pitch until deep into added time, when he received the crucial booking for handball that triggered the FA’s probe.
Video footage of the game shows Paqueta repeatedly looking towards the touchline from the 70th minute onwards in an indication he was looking to be substituted.
The former AC Milan and Lyon ace is understood to have several sources at West Ham willing to corroborate his version of events, with his legal team preparing to question why he would agree to be deliberately booked in a match he tried to avoid playing in.
The timing of Paqueta’s booking in added time will also be highlighted as inconsistent with a player deliberately seeking a yellow card.
That’s particularly given the fact in the previous season he was often taken off early by Moyes in an attempt to make his Hammers’ side more defensively robust.
Paqueta has been left shattered by the charges and is living in fear that his career could be over if found guilty despite maintaining his innocence.
His dream transfer to Man City — which would have now cost them £85m due to a release clause becoming active this summer — has already fallen apart for a second time but West Ham are standing by the player.
Paqueta’s case will be heard by a three-person independent commission later this summer. Given the rarity of spot-fixing cases there are few precedents but history suggests he is facing a multi-year ban if found guilty.
Stratford Town’s Kynan Isaac was banned from football for ten years in October 2022 for deliberately getting booked in an FA Cup tie as part of a betting scheme with friends.
And Lincoln City defender Bradley Wood received a six-year ban in 2018 for “influencing a football betting market” by collecting two yellow cards during his side’s FA Cup run the previous season.
West Ham and Paqueta were approached for comment.