West Ham star Lucas Paqueta is facing a lifetime ban from football for his betting-related charges in a “huge” update, according to Dan Plumley.
The Hammers playmaker was charged with being booked on purpose in four separate games, and the FA want to slap the 26-year-old with a lifetime ban from the sport if he is proven guilty.
Should the Brazilian be banned then West Ham could potentially sue him for a breach of contract, but football finance expert Plumley admits that will depend on what clauses are in his deal at the London Stadium.“I think it would have to [go down that road],” he exclusively told West Ham Zone.
“We don’t know the details of players’ contracts but, if you’re looking at does this constitute a breach of contract and the club will know the details. Of course, bigger implications for the player of course, but obviously West Ham are right in the middle of that at the minute.
It will depend on what’s in the contract but if it does go that way and it is a significant ban or a lifetime ban, then you’ll have to delve into the contract and look at whether or not, what West Ham’s options are within that against the offences that he’s being charged for.
A lifetime ban is huge. There was talk of him going to Man City wasn’t there, but I don’t think that’s happening now. And if clubs haven’t got clauses written into contracts these days on the back of Toney, Tonali and now this one, then they will be doing very soon.
”West Ham United unlikely to have Lucas Paqueta next season The expectation before the summer window opened was that Paqueta would be on his way to Manchester City this summer [The Athletic], with an £85million release clause becoming active.
However they have withdrawn their interest [HITC] since the charges were brought, and it now seems impossible for a transfer to take place this summer.
But despite that, the chance of the Hammers having him as part of their squad for the whole campaign looks slim as the FA push to have him banned for spot-fixing.
Ivan Toney and Sandro Tonali were handed lengthy bans last season for their betting-related charges, but theirs were far less serious than Paqueta’s.
Even if they have him for the start of the campaign while they await a hearing to take place, it seems impossible at this stage after the new details that Paqueta will get away without a ban and the club must now plan for life without him for a while.
