English FA reportedly set to issue to life ban to Lucas Paqueta

West Ham United's midfielder, Lucas Paqueta could be saying his final goodbye to football if he is found guilty by the English FA for breaching the betting rules.

The charges on Lucas Paqueta relate to suspicious betting activity surrounding four yellow cards he received in Premier League matches against Bournemouth, Aston Villa, Leeds, and Leicester City. According to reports, It's reported that around 60 bets were placed on yellow cards, ranging from £7 to £400, with total winnings of £100,000, in Brazil.

The FA has been investigating this matter and had initially requested access to Paqueta's phone to complete necessary checks. However, the Brazilian allegedly threw out the old mobile, leading to two aggravated breaches of FA Rule F3 for obstructing and not cooperating in the initial investigation.

The FA finds these alleged offences as a more serious offence than previous incidents which is pushing for a lifetime ban. Paqueta has protested his innocence and cooperated with the investigation by handing over his mobile phone to the FA.

The player's hearing is scheduled to take place in March, and the outcome may not be concluded until after the 2024/25 season.