West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta is weighing up legal action against the Football Association after being cleared of spot-fixing charges.
According to sources close to the 28-year-old, his legal team are currently “considering all options.”
The Brazilian midfielder was originally charged by the FA in May 2024, accused of deliberately collecting yellow cards with the “improper purpose of affecting the betting market.”
However, an independent commission dismissed all four allegations in July 2025.
On Wednesday, the written judgment explaining their findings was released, raising doubts over why the FA chose not to consult independent betting data experts during the investigation.
Paqueta’s lawyers are now reviewing the full report and exploring possible responses, which could include suing the FA.
The inquiry into Paqueta’s conduct began back in August 2023, nine months before formal charges were made. The announcement of the probe at the time scuppered his proposed £80m transfer to Manchester City.
The commission highlighted the financial damage caused by the case, noting that both Paquetá and West Ham would have “received substantial sums running into the tens of millions of pounds” and added that “both the player and West Ham reserve all of their rights in that regard.”
