Lucas Paqueta revealed that the support of ‘special’ West Ham boss David Moyes helped him deal with the gambling scandal that led to the collapse of his £80million move to Man City.
The Brazilian forward remains the subject of a seven-month FA investigation into suspicious gambling patterns surrounding three yellow cards Paqueta received for West Ham last year.
Paqueta has not played for Brazil since the season started, but under new manager Dorival Junior he will make his return against England at Wembley on Saturday.
Moyes has continued to play his talisman this season and Paqueta, speaking for the first time about the situation, thanked the Hammers boss for his support.
“I don’t think they (West Ham) did anything other than what they should have done,” said Paqueta, who is understood to deny any wrongdoing. ‘My relationship with David Moyes is very good. We have talked about this. He said he wanted me to play on the team.
Lucas Paqueta has opened up about the gambling scandal that cost him a move to Man City
Paqueta revealed that David Moyes’ support helped him cope with the gambling scandal
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“I think it was important because I’ve grown and gotten better this season. My evolution was important from last season to this season. Without a doubt, the support he gave me to leave all this behind was essential. He was special to me.’
Mail Sport revealed in August that Paqueta was the subject of an FA investigation into suspicious bets placed with bookmakers in Brazil, allegedly traced to Paqueta Island in Guanabara Bay, where Paqueta grew up.
They are believed to be focusing on bookings he received against Bournemouth on the opening day of last season, Aston Villa in March and Leeds in May.
“I was told not to comment on this subject,” Paqueta said at a packed press conference in Brazil on Tuesday ahead of his match against England. “It’s now been seven months since it happened and I’m cooperating and doing what I can so it can be resolved.”
Paqueta’s move to City collapsed in the wake of the Mail Sport revelations, but Pep Guardiola still appears keen to sign the central midfielder, who he sees as a long-term replacement for Bernardo Silva.
Both City and West Ham are frustrated at how long the investigation is dragging on, and it is believed an £86 million release clause will come into effect this summer. There is added concern that a similar investigation into former Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka took 17 months to complete.
It is believed that Pep Guardiola is still keen to sign the Brazilian central midfielder
Paqueta is also said to be frustrated at being left in the dark, but says he is trying not to let distractions off the field affect him.
“I try not to let outside analysis get in my way on the field,” he said. ‘If I receive criticism, I shouldn’t pay too much attention to it. I have to step aside, train hard and take care of myself. When I’m on the pitch I forget everything and just think about playing football and forget what happened.’
He hasn’t always found that. “It was harder at the beginning of my career,” he said. ‘I have more experience with issues outside the football field. I have grown enormously mentally and I can live with that now. I have put that behind me and I can now concentrate on my performance.’
Those performances were exemplary. West Ham have failed to win any of the seven Premier League games Paqueta has missed this season.
He is now ready to do battle with two faces he knows better than most: West Ham teammate Jarrod Bowen and Arsenal midfielder and former Hammer Declan Rice.
“I had the pleasure of playing with both of them,” he said. ‘They are great professionals. Bowen is having a great season and I’m happy to help him. Declan is a great player.
The Brazilian forward remains the subject of a seven-month FA investigation into suspicious gambling patterns surrounding three yellow cards Paqueta received for West Ham last year
Paqueta insists he is cooperating with the investigation, but has been told not to talk about it
‘I spoke to Jarrod and he wanted to play against us because he knows how much weight our shirt has and our history.’
Although this young Brazilian squad is full of inexperienced and unlimited players, Paqueta still believes Brazil are the favourites.
“The Brazilian team will always be favorites,” he said. “Because of the history we have, the players we have.”