Paquetá reveals failed Flamengo talks: “I really tried” | OneFootball

Called up to defend the Brazilian National Team in the FIFA date friendlies against Senegal and Tunisia, Lucas Paquetá broke his silence after being cleared of accusations of involvement in betting schemes in England, where he plays for West Ham. The midfielder revealed that he began negotiations with Flamengo, his former club, during the accusation process, but nothing was finalized.

“I had some conversations with Filipe Luis, who is a friend, in addition to the work he is doing at Flamengo. So, I really expressed the desire to return and also showed it to my agents. It was a difficult decision because I am 28 years old. It's very early, and I still have a lot of market here abroad, but it was a very strong desire, and I tried hard”, said Paquetá in an interview with Sportv.

In July, Paquetá was officially acquitted of all charges. At the time, he was being judged for allegedly being deliberately cautioned in West Ham games to influence betting markets. The English Football Association was investigating him for yellow cards in four Premier League matches that took place between November 2022 and August 2023 and was requesting the player's ban from the sport.

  See this photo on Instagram   A post shared by Lucas Paquetá (@lucaspaqueta)

“It was a very difficult time not only for me but for my family in general. I think my wife and I went through two long, painful years, but with a happy ending. The most important thing was understanding why everything happened, why I was going through all of this,” said the West Ham player.

With Lucas Paquetá in the squad led by Carlo Ancelotti, the National Team trains in London to play two friendlies. Brazil faces Senegal at 1 PM (Brasília time) this Saturday and returns to the field to play against Tunisia at 4:30 PM on Tuesday.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.