Paqueta Reflects on Missed Manchester City Transfer Due to Investigation
Lucas Paqueta, the Brazilian midfielder, recently opened up about the impact of an investigation on his career and specifically the failure of a potential transfer to Manchester City. The 29-year-old began his senior career at Flamengo in 2016 before moving to AC Milan in January 2019, and later joining Lyon in September 2020. In August 2022, he signed a five-year contract with West Ham United for a club-record fee of approximately £51 million.
In August 2023, the Football Association initiated an investigation into Paqueta, leading to charges in May of the following year. He faced allegations of deliberately receiving bookings “for the improper purpose of affecting the betting market.” The charges stemmed from a Premier League match against Leicester City on November 12, 2022, as well as fixtures against Aston Villa on March 12, Leeds United on May 21, and Bournemouth on August 12.
After nearly two years of inquiry, Paqueta was cleared of the spot-fixing charges in July 2025 by an independent regulatory commission. Throughout the investigation, he consistently denied all allegations. However, he did face two additional charges related to failure to cooperate with the investigation due to non-compliance with requests for information. The regulatory body found these charges proven, resulting in a reprimand and formal warning without a suspension.
Before the investigation began, Paqueta was poised to join Manchester City for £80 million in August 2023, but the deal was derailed as the allegations emerged. Now, three years after the failed transfer, Paqueta has reflected on the situation, noting in a recent TikTok live broadcast that the investigation significantly impacted his career trajectory.
“I didn’t end up going to City because of the investigation I went through, you see?” he stated. During the discussion, he also elaborated on his desire to join City, emphasizing that it was always his preferred choice over clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona. “No, it was City. It was City. I’ve always really liked City,” he confirmed.
After being cleared, Paqueta left West Ham and returned to Flamengo in January 2026 for a fee of £35.5 million, hoping to move past the scandal. Despite the challenges, he has continued to perform well, registering 23 goals and 15 assists in 139 appearances during his time with West Ham, and adding seven goals and one assist in 24 matches since his return to Flamengo in the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A.
