Savinho, Jarrod Bowen react to Lucas Paqueta after ‘ludicrous’ update at West Ham
Lucas Paqueta took to social media with a new message for the West Ham faithful as the star’s legal battle continues away from the pitch.
The Brazilian is under investigation by the Football Association [FA] for alleged betting breaches, news which has seen Man City put off signing Paqueta over the last two transfer windows.
The FA’s investigation is not expected to conclude until the end of May, allowing him to still be starring for the Hammers, with the player continuing to claim his innocence against the evidence.
Simon Jordan has been perplexed by the length of the inquiry, with news that Paqueta’s court date has been adjourned until the summer dubbed “ludicrous” due to his lawyers being unavailable.
Due to this, the 27-year-old is still available for Graham Potter‘s selection and played the full 90 minutes of the narrow 2-1 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday, 13 April at Anfield.
Lucas Paqueta continues to star for West Ham despite ongoing FA investigation
Taking to Instagram (14 April), Paqueta shared a series of images from the 2-1 defeat to Liverpool, captioned simply by the Irons sign, red heart and praise emojis.
Teammates Jarrod Bowen, Emerson Palmieri and Edson Alvarez all liked the post, as did Man City’s star winger Savinho and Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes.
While he did not get on the scoresheet, an Andy Robertson own goal nearly saw the points shared on Merseyside, that was until Virgil van Dijk made amends with a game-winning header in the 89th minute.
Graham Potter desperate to keep Lucas Paqueta to help rebuild West Ham squad
Football Insider verdict
West Ham losing Paqueta to a lifetime ban would be incredibly difficult, and also a big blow for the Premier League, with opposition fans often wowed by his ability on the ball.
Had the Hammers seen this coming, they could have sold him for a decent fee. However, with the news surrounding him, it could be difficult to offload him, even if his trial goes well.
| Player | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Lucas Paqueta | 115 | 18 | 14 |
He may only have four goals this season, and zero assists, but Paqueta remains one of the most watchable players in the division, with managers often giving him a free role in the team.
If Potter is to rebuild the current squad, getting rid of the likes of Guido Rodriguez, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Danny Ings, the Brazilian should be the one it is built around.
Bowen, of course, is the most important player at the London Stadium, and should also be a focus for Potter, but Paqueta normally finds himself pulling the strings in midfield, with the star winger benefitting.
The duo together could help take West Ham back up the Premier League table, and if the new manager is to survive longer than Julen Lopetegui, he should follow the obvious blueprint already there for him.