Paqueta to Manchester City, why it went wrong

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By: Manu Tournoux

Lucas Paqueta was set to join Manchester City for £85m before an investigation into alleged betting breaches was launched.

Manchester City had apparently identified the Brazilian as the replacement for Kevin De Bruyne, who is set to miss much of the season with a hamstring injury.

According to DailyMail, the Hammers struck a high-profile deal to sell Paqueta to the three-time winners, but the deal fell apart after the FA were alerted to apparent breaches of their betting rules by Paqueta.

He was summoned for questioning by a panel of investigators on Monday, an interview the 25-year-old reportedly agreed to. However, the Hammers appealed for this procedure to be delayed, and the FA granted their request.

West Ham were reportedly concerned about the way the saga played out in the media without the FA publicly acknowledging potential breaches. The delay will allow the club to take stock of what awaits the midfielder, having been alerted last week.

Paqueta featured in West Ham’s 3-1 win over Chelsea at the London Stadium on Sunday, scoring from the penalty spot in second-half added time.

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