In the summer of 2023, Lucas Paquetá was riding high. Fresh off helping West Ham end a 40-year trophy drought with the Europa Conference League win over Fiorentina (assisting Jarrod Bowen’s winner), the Brazilian was the club’s creative heartbeat—living up to his €60 million price tag from Lyon in 2022. With an £85 million release clause set to activate in June, Manchester City emerged as front-runners, having seen a £70 million bid rejected by West Ham, who awaited a second offer.
Then, in August 2023, disaster struck. The FA launched an investigation into alleged rule breaches, and Paquetá’s dream move to City evaporated overnight. “One day he was set to join the seemingly unbeatable Premier League champions; the next, he was told he might never play again,” recalled Alastair Campbell, his lawyer from Level Law.
Paquetá’s ordeal was public and painful. He broke down in a West Ham team meeting, insisting he was innocent, while the club barred him from media interviews. But solidarity surrounded him: Edson Álvarez vowed to “protect him on the pitch,” Emerson planned morale-boosting gatherings, and Bruno Guimarães took him on a US trip to Disney and Universal Studios. Most crucially, manager David Moyes stood firm—publicly backing him and, in a rare move, agreeing to testify at his hearing, using his authority to counter the allegations.
Seven months later, Paquetá was cleared. In March 2024, he thanked Moyes publicly at Wembley; before a pre-season win over Everton, their embrace symbolized their shared struggle, and he scored the opener that night.
The saga derailed his City move but deepened his bond with West Ham. From a would-be 豪门 signing to an accused player, then to redemption through trust and resilience, Paquetá’s story isn’t just about personal triumph—it’s a testament to loyalty in football.
