Luis Guilherme to shine in Premier League as new West Ham United ‘livewire’ hailed
Former Everton and Crystal Palace star Yannick Bolasie has claimed that West Ham’s new signing Luis Guilherme will be “electric” in the Premier League after coming up against the young talent in Brazil.
The Hammers paid Palmeiras £25million for the 18-year-old winger, who agreed a five-year deal earlier this month.
Already, Guilherme has managed to chalk up some serious experience, including 40 senior appearances, winning a Brazilian Serie A title, and being called up by Brazil’s U21 national team.
Bolasie who has 119 Premier League games under his belt, came up against Guilherme while playing for Criciuma in Brazil on June 2.
Writing in the Sunday Mirror (print edition, 23 June, page 72), he said: “Guilherme is electric and very quick – he’s definitely exciting.
“He plays on the right side, but is left-footed and likes to come in and shoot. I was on the left and he was on the right when we played each other.
“He tried a little flick over my foot, but I intercepted it. That was when I knew he was a tricky customer – you can’t get too close to him because he can do something out of nowhere.
“He is a livewire with great dribbling skills, which makes me convinced he will cope well in England.
“He is a player who you see in the modern game now, who is an inside-forward who likes to drift in, shoot and link up play.”
What can West Ham achieve under Julen Lopetegui?
With a new manager in Lopetegui, West Ham United will realistically set their sights on a strong finish in the Premier League, aiming to secure a place in the top half of the table. Having built a reputation while at Sevilla and with the Spanish national team, Lopetegui brings experience and tactical awareness that Hammers fans can get excited about.
The addition of new and exciting players like Luis Guilherme, who possess flair and creativity, coupled with existing class talent such as Jarrod Bowen, gives West Ham hope for a strong season, where they could even push for European spots.
Lopetegui will also likely bring some element towards ensuring consistency through having possession-based football and solid defensive structure – something the team has lacked in recent times.
Lopetegui is also a great believer in young talent development with West Ham fans likely to see contributions from new emerging players, which is something that will put the squad in a stronger position.
Provided West Ham can perform against teams in the mid-table and lower-tier ranks, and at the same time secure a few victories against top six clubs – a finish between the 7th and 9th spot would not be far-fetched.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers want to sign a £25m striker with 52 goals in the last two seasons.
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