West Ham star Lucas Paqueta has been cleared of spot-fixing after charges were brought against the midfielder dating back to 2023.
The Brazilian was being investigated for deliberately getting himself booked to influence betting markets so that friends and family members might benefit, and faced a lengthy ban if found guilty.
However, that is no longer an issue for the 27-year-old, who can now continue his career with the Hammers without the stress of this case hanging over his head.
Pep Guardiola has always been a fan of Paqueta, and the Brazil international would certainly have been a Man City player by now, as the Manchester club were very keen on signing the midfielder in 2023 before he was accused of spot-fixing.
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Lucas Paqueta and Pep Guardiola’s hug said everything about his potential move to Man City
Former West Ham coach Kevin Nolan recently stated that he was certain Paqueta was joining Man City in 2023, with ESPN reporting at the time that the Manchester club had a strong interest in the Brazilian, who was valued at £70m by the London club.
Following a summer of reports and rumours, Paqueta showed that Man City’s interest was true when West Ham played Guardiola’s side early in the 23/24 season, as the midfielder ran over to the legendary coach to hug him.
The transfer saga was similar to Man City and Morgan Gibbs-White’s this summer, as the Nottingham Forest star was also spotted hugging and chatting to Guardiola towards the end of last season.
Despite the charges, Man City showed interest in Paqueta again last year, but like the summer before, the Premier League giants were cautious about making a move for the 27-year-old.
Now that the West Ham star is out of the woods, many Man City fans will be wondering what their team would have been like with the Brazilian in it.
Lucas Paqueta would have impacted Phil Foden at Man City
Had Paqueta joined Man City during the summer of 2023, the Brazilian’s arrival would very likely have had an impact on Phil Foden’s magical campaign, which saw the Englishman crowned the PFA Players’ Player of the Year.
Guardiola would have been attracted by the Brazilian’s versatility as the midfielder can play in the ten position, in central midfield, as a false nine, and even on the wings.
| Player | Games | Goals | Assists | Minutes |
| Lucas Paqueta | 43 | 8 | 7 | 3478 |
| Phil Foden | 53 | 27 | 13 | 4276 |
These are roles Foden can also occupy at City, and the West Ham star’s arrival would have taken minutes away from the England star, while also taking away some of the freedom the 25-year-old had in Guardiola’s team at that time.
The legendary coach would have likely solved that issue by putting Paqueta in centre midfield, but fans of the Manchester club will never know, as fate did not want the Brazilian to move to the Etihad Stadium.
