A Verdict Reached But The Wait Goes On…
After a two-year wait, it has finally been announced that the Lucas Paqueta hearing has concluded. The case this week has finally been concluded after both sides presented their evidence and reasoning.
However, the unfortunate news for West Ham and Lucas Paqueta himself is that the verdict will be announced in 4-8 weeks, not only does this pre-long the already suffering for Lucas himself, but it also means the club aren’t able to prepare for Paqueta’s departure, if this was through a ban or a sale of the player.
Regardless of the outcome, it is utterly disgraceful how the FA have conducted this investigation, considering that the FA have claimed this is a “slam dunk” and that Paqueta will be found guilty, they’ve taken an awfully long time to prove that.
Close sources to Paqueta’s team have suggested that they are “more than confident” regarding the outcome and are positive that he won’t be found guilty. If this is the case, no one would be surprised to see Paqueta and West Ham take action against the FA due to the potential money that was lost over the agreed transfer to Manchester City, as well as the mental struggles and strains Paqueta has sustained throughout this period of time.
With the case overall, it will be an either or; it won’t be that Paqueta might be found guilty on some charges and not on others, it’s an ‘all or nothing’. This could be beneficial to the Hammers if all the news were to be positive.
It’s a waiting game, just like the transfers have been this season, but the implications of the outcome could be significant. The club are said to be “urgently” trying to get the verdict forwarded so the club can have a clearer idea with the transfer window.
