Lucas Paqueta ruled out of West Ham game after being summoned to Brazilian parliament amid fears of betting ban that could last a LIFETIME

According to The Sun, the 27-year-old will give evidence to the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry on the Manipulation of Games and Sports Betting in Sao Paulo on December 3 - when West Ham travel to Leicester City. The attacking midfielder was due to be involved in this matter this week but his legal team successfully postponed that appearance. However, he will now appear in front of Brazilian senators as part of the investigation into illegal betting in the country in just over a month's time.

Paqueta is also under investigation after being charged by the English Football Association with four instances of spot-fixing, amid allegations of deliberately receiving yellow cards in games to make money for bettors, during matches in 2022 and 2023. Specifically within this, there are fears the Brazil international may receive a lifetime ban from football if found guilty for these alleged betting rule breaches.

Paqueta has protested his innocence throughout and earlier in October he hit out at the FA's handling of this process - which he says is no longer confidential.

He wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “I have instructed my lawyers to write to the FA to request that they conduct a thorough investigation into how information about the case, even if inaccurate, is finding its way into the public domain."

While these investigations continue, Paqueta could feature for West Ham on Saturday when they travel to in-form Nottingham Forest in their next Premier League encounter. The Hammers currently sit 13th in the division, whereas Forest are seventh.