Premier League action gets underway with Manchester United taking on Fulham at Old Trafford. But it won’t be just another season for West Ham midfielder Lucas Paquetá, with his future tied to the outcome of an investigation into alleged sports betting offences.
The English Football Association (FA) accuses him of deliberately receiving a yellow card in four matches between November 2022 and August 2023 to influence the betting market. If found guilty, he could receive a ban that would practically end his career, although the process is long and a firm decision is not expected in the short term.
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The London team is counting on the midfielder, who is a regular in the Brazilian national team, for the upcoming campaign. He has received the support not only of his club, but also of his new coach, the Spaniard Julen Lopetegui, who was asked in an interview with the newspaper Marca how the issue is affecting the Brazilian.
“He is a very important player for us. He is working very well. We are delighted with his daily involvement,” said the coach. The former Flamengo player is available and everything indicates that he will be a starter in the new tactical formation that Lopetegui will use on the field.
The Hammers make their home debut on Saturday at 13:30 (Brasilia time) against Aston Villa, a revelation last season when they finished fourth and qualified for the Champions League.
Our 2024/25 Premier League season starts on Saturday ⚒️ pic.twitter.com/XxJtuESxau
— West Ham United (@WestHam) August 15, 2024
According to the press, Paquetá would be the creative player, with Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus on the sides and Niclas Füllkrug as the reference in attack. The Italian-Brazilian Emerson Palmieri would occupy the left-back position from the start, while Luis Guilherme, one of the jewels produced by Palmeiras in recent times, would start from the bench.
