Lucas Paquetá is preparing to launch a legal claim for more than £1m in costs against the Football Association (FA) following his acquittal on spot-fixing charges. The West Ham midfielder was cleared by a regulatory commission, whose 314-page report highlighted numerous flaws in the FA's handling of the case.
The 27-year-old is unlikely to sue for damages over lost earnings, including the collapse of an £85m transfer to Manchester City in 2023. Instead, he will seek to recover legal costs estimated between £1m and £1.5m. Paquetá's case has been strengthened by the commission's criticism of the FA, describing key elements of the prosecution as 'surprising', 'concerning', and 'contradictory'.
The commission also faulted the FA for failing to call an independent expert to assess 253 suspicious bets on four bookings Paquetá was accused of fixing. His lawyers will argue that these flaws caused delays, increasing costs for both Paquetá and West Ham, who unsuccessfully sought an expedited hearing after he was charged in May 2024.
The FA faces its own legal bill of around £1m and could see total costs approach £3m if Paquetá's claim succeeds. A new hearing will decide on costs and Paquetá's punishment for two lesser charges of failing to cooperate with the FA. West Ham have confirmed they will not take legal action against the FA, which has said it will not appeal the verdict.
