Reporter exclusive: Paqueta is preparing to sue the FA but fails to transfer to Manchester City and claim million yuan

Hupu September 4th, an exclusive report by independent journalist Matt Hughes said that after the regulatory committee released a 314-page report proving that the West Ham player was not involved in the counterfeiting, Lucas Paqueta plans to file a lawsuit with the FA for compensation of more than £1 million.

Matt Hughes learned that while Paqueta is unlikely to sue the Football Association for losses in revenue caused by his two-year lawsuit that led to his £85 million transfer to Manchester City in the summer of 2023, the 27-year-old will file a lawsuit seeking legal fees between £1 million and £1.5 million. The report of the

committee seemed to reinforce Paqueta's demands, which highlighted the many "flaws" in the Football Association's handling of the case. The main contents of the FA's prosecution were described by the Commission as "surprising", "worrying" and "contradictory". The committee also criticized the FA for failing to hire independent experts to assess 253 suspicious bets of the four yellow cards the Brazilian was suspected of manipulating.

Paqueta's lawyers are expected to argue that the flaws in the investigation have led to delays in the case, causing huge losses to Paqueta and West Ham United.

Paqueta was charged with four counts of manipulating a penalty in May 2024, but West Ham applied to the FA to speed up the trial last year, but was unsuccessful. Paqueta's lawyers will also insist that the FA pay for the fees incurred by the committee, which is expected to be as high as hundreds of thousands of pounds given the length and complexity of the case.

The FA itself faces about £1 million in legal fees, which is unable to be recovered. If Paqueta wins the case, the cost of prosecution could end up as high as nearly £3 million.

All cost decisions will be made by the Commission in a new hearing, which will also determine the penalties Paqueta would be subject to two lesser charges, i.e., failure to work with the FA and share information.

West Ham United has no plans to file a legal action against the FA, and the FA has said it will not appeal the committee's ruling.