That rumored £80 million move for Lucas Paqueta to Manchester City? Yeah, it was *real*, and the reason it blew up will absolutely sting. The midfielder just went live on TikTok to spill the beans, confirming the massive transfer fell apart solely because of an FA investigation, not because he was eyeing Real Madrid or Barcelona.
The Record Deal That Set Up The Fallout
Paqueta, now 29, kicked off his pro journey with his boyhood club Flamengo back in 2016, then made the leap to AC Milan in January 2019 before landing at Lyon in September 2020. After two seasons with the French side, he finally made his way to West Ham in August 2022, signing a five-year deal for a reported club-record fee of around £51 million. Everything was looking up, right?
But then the hammer dropped. In August 2023, the Football Association launched an investigation into Paqueta. By May of the following year, he was formally charged, accused of deliberately getting booked for the “improper purpose of affecting the betting market.” The charges covered four Premier League games: Leicester City on November 12, 2022, and then 2023 fixtures against Aston Villa (March 12), Leeds United (May 21), and Bournemouth (August 12). This was serious stuff, folks, with the very real prospect of a lifetime ban hanging over his head if he was found guilty.
Cleared, But The Damage Was Done
Paqueta denied *everything* from day one. And here’s the wild part: in July 2025, a full two years after the investigation began, an independent regulatory commission actually cleared him of all the spot-fixing charges after a hearing! Talk about a massive sigh of relief, right? Well, almost. He was also charged with two counts of failing to cooperate with the investigation, which means not providing information and documents as per FA Rule F3. He denied those too, but the commission found them proven. The good news? He avoided a suspension, instead getting a formal warning and a reprimand.
However, the real gut punch had already landed. Before the FA even launched their probe, reports were flying that Paqueta was all set for a massive £80 million move to Manchester City in August 2023. But with the accusations coming to light, that dream deal, which was reportedly “almost a done deal,” just collapsed. As Paqueta himself put it, crystal clear: “I didn’t end up going to City because of the investigation I went through, you, see?” When a participant on his TikTok live mentioned clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona, asking about his desire for Pep Guardiola’s squad, Paqueta’s response, though cut off, strongly implied his focus was on City.
What’s Next for a Derailed Dream?
After being cleared of the main charges, Paqueta officially parted ways with West Ham. In January 2026, he made a £35.5 million move back to his boyhood club, Flamengo, in what looks like a clear attempt to put the entire betting scandal behind him. Even though he was proven innocent of the fixing allegations, the public fallout and that failed transfer to the Etihad Stadium clearly took their toll.
This whole saga, man, it just shows how one investigation, even when you’re mostly cleared, can totally derail a career-defining move. Paqueta’s back at Flamengo, trying to rebuild and move forward, but that £80 million Man City dream? That’s a huge “what if” that’s gonna stick around for a long, long time, a constant reminder of what could have been.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply