Luis Guilherme twist wrong at West Ham, Steidten stays in bad light
West Ham United are looking to sell Luis Guilherme to raise funds in the winter transfer window, but should not be in a position to have to offload him.
The 18-year-old signed from Palmeiras last summer as the first new arrival under Tim Steidten’s control of recruitment, the Hammers parting with £25million for his services.
Fast-forward seven months and just 45 minutes of Premier League football without a single start, and Guilherme is now seemingly being touted to Saudi clubs in a desperate quick attempt to recoup their costs.
It’s a ridiculous move – hilarity in the fact that Steidten’s erratic transfer policy has turned out such an anti-climax that not only has David Sullivan now demoted his role (Hammers News, 19 January), but also the Irons are now willing to dispose of Guilherme at the first possible opportunity.
Luis Guilherme could leave West Ham before 3 February
Guilherme is not getting into Graham Potter’s starting line-up anytime soon, but it appeared the Brazilian teenager was a project signing when he arrived on a deal until 2029.
He has been more regularly thrown on from the bench since the turn of the year, but now it looks as if West Ham are desperately eyeing immediate improvements to the side while monitoring PSR constraints, and the sum of those parts appears to be selling Guilherme as quickly as possible.
A player who could be considered surplus to requirements this season but perhaps not from the summer onwards should not be getting mindlessly thrown to the Saudi Pro League at this burgeoning stage of his career.
But the Hammers must look after number one rather than their players’ future careers, and this appears to be the avenue down which they’ll go.
Some have said Guilherme has no experience, that he cannot contribute and doesn’t have the pedigree in senior football. He has made 50 senior appearances – are there many players his age with more experience than that?
It just seems horrendously short-sighted to let him go – especially if they end up making a loss for any kind of quick return on their summer transfer spend – but that is the situation Steidten, the board and also previous boss Julen Lopetegui have left the Irons in.
The Saudi transfer deadline is 31 January, three days before the English cut-off, and it could be the case that Guilherme is soon attempting to take his career to new heights in the Middle East.
In other West Ham news, a report emerges on whether a third bid for Jhon Duran is lined up.
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